Judicial probe extended: Justice Qayyum sets hearing for Aug 23 (17 August 1999)

17 August 1999

Judicial probe extended: Justice Qayyum sets hearing for Aug 23

The Dawn

Karachi, Aug 16: The Federal government has given the judicial commission investigating betting and match-fixing in cricket an extension until Sept 30, officials said on Monday from Lahore.

Lahore High Court Registrar Abdus Salam Khawar told Dawn that the commission has been informed of the decision.

Besides the letter of extension, the federal government has also requested Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum to include the World Cup in his investigations.

"According to the commission of inquiry act, the one-man committee has been given an extension until Sept 30. But that doesn't mean that it has been given a deadline to submit its findings. The report can be submitted earlier," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) legal advisor Ali Sibtain Fazli said.

For the commission, that was constituted by the federal government last September on the request of the PCB, it will be its fourth extension.

Abdus Salam Khawar added that he has written to Accountability Cell to submit its report which it has finalized after conducting its independent inquiry into the World Cup.

"Previously we asked the Accountability Cell to provide us the material which it gathered. Now since it has submitted its report to President Rafiq Tarar and the PCB, we have asked them to make available that report," the LHC Registrar stated.

The chairman of PCB's ad hoc committee Mujeeb-ur-Rehman admitted from Islamabad that he has received a report from the Accountability Cell. He also confirmed that a copy of the report has been sent to President Tarar.

"I am sure the judicial commission will get the report by the end of this week," he remarked.

Salam Khawar revealed that the commission has set its first hearing after five-week break on Aug 23. He, however, said the list of people to be summoned will be finalized on Tuesday.

Nevertheless, he warned that the commission wouldn't hesitate to issue warrant of arrests against those who didn't appear before Justice Qayyum.

He said since Justice Qayyum wants to complete the report before Sept 30, he wouldn't tolerate any excuses which certain individuals have been giving in the past.

"We issued warrant of arrests against four former players last September and will do it again. Every individual summoned will have to appear before the honourable judge," he warned.

Salam Khawar said unlike the past where there was a week's adjournment, the court will now have short adjournments. He said all efforts will be made to complete the assignment by Sept 30 but minced no words in saying that since the World Cup has to be included, the report might be delayed.

"Since we will have to gather fresh evidence, examine the people again etc, it can take its own time. But the comfortable cushion we have is that only World Cup has to be probed. The investigations upto April's Sharjah Cup are almost complete and the only missing factor was the cross-examination," Salam Khawar stated.

He said Wasim Akram and Mushtaq Ahmad have already requested the judicial commission to be awarded an opportunity to cross-examine their accusers - Salim Pervaiz and Javed Miandad - respectively.

He, however, said Salim Malik and Ijaz Ahmad, the other main accused in the scenario, have not made any requests to Justice Qayyum. "The copy of statements was delivered to both of them three months ago. But neither of the two has so far come forward with the request of cross-examination," he said.

The LHC Registrar revealed that Justice Qayyum would be certainly calling Javed Miandad "as he was interested to know what were the backgrounds which forced the former captain to resign as team coach on the eve of departure for World Cup.

He (Javed Miandad) will be one of the key elements in this investigation."

Salam Khawar also said that former captain Asif Iqbal and Sarfaraz Nawaz would also be summoned. He said Asif Iqbal's name has come in the investigations while Sarfaraz has levelled fresh allegations.

Source :: The Dawn (www.dawn.com)