The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finally formed a three member panel which will investigate the episode of former wicketkeeper, Zulqarnain Haider.
According to sources the panel is headed by Sultan Rana who is the head of PCB's domestic cricket operations, Colonel retd Waseem Ahmed (security manager) and Khawaja Ovais.
According to insiders the panel will hold a meeting after Waseem Ahmed, who is with the national team, reaches Pakistan after conclusion of the West Indies tour.
The PCB, after receiving a reply to its show-cause notice from Haider, decided to formally launch its investigation regarding the Haider fiasco, which caused an international embarrassment for the PCB.
A statement released by the PCB regarding Haider said, “We can confirm that we have received response from Zulqarnain Haider and in accordance with our code of disciplinary proceedings we have formed a three-member committee to look into the matter.”
According to sources, Haider has clarified in his letter that he did not inform the team management before deserting the national squad because he did not trust the management.
In November, while the Pakistan team was playing a five-match one-day series against South Africa in theUnited Arab Emirates, Haider disappeared just before the fifth match, later he resurfaced in the United Kingdom where he alleged that he had received life threats from a bookie who wanted him to lose the fourth and fifth match of the series. After refusing to adhere to the demands of the bookie he fled to England to save his life.
According to a source in the PCB, Haider has repeated the same story and has failed to provide any new evidence regarding the whole scenario.
"He has said nothing new or given any clear explanation to what prompted him to flee the team hotel and fly to London. Neither has he named anyone in the team responsible for his act,” the source said while giving details of the content of the reply submitted by Haider.
Last month Haider returned back to Pakistan after nearly six-months of self-exile in England, after receiving assurance from Pakistan’s interior minister Rehman Malik to be provided with top security on his return to the country. After this the lanky wicketkeeper stopped seeking asylum in England and return home.
He has expressed willingness to resume is cricket career and has also reverted his retirement decision from international cricket. However, the PCB has clarified that he will not be able to resume his career until he gets clearance from PCB’s integrity committee.
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