Pakistan: Majid urges further probe into the issue

Lahore, May 25: Former Test captain and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Majid Khan has urged upon all boards to thoroughly investigate and punish all the "errant players" if they want to eliminate "match-fixing and betting" from the game for good. Talking to Dawn on Thursday evening, Majid Khan said that the recommendations of Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum were good and based on the evidence made available to him but those were not the "final word"!

"The recommendations of the report suggest to the Pakistan Government to further probe the issue and bring the culprits to book. All relevant agencies must be pressed into action to investigate and submit their findings to the authorities. Bringing the erring people to book and punishing them will not tarnish the image of the country. Rather, that will help in eliminating the malady which had spoiled the gentlemanly game.That will also serve as a deterrent to the youngsters", emphasised Majid Khan.

He said that there had been wide-spread allegations of "betting and match-fixing" all over the world during the last five or six years. The charges have made it necessary for all governments and boards to institute judicial commissions, having powers to call every one required for recording evidence, and also hand over the probe of all allegations to their agencies. Only that can help in "catching all those involved in the undesirable activities and eliminating match-fixing and betting from cricket".

The former Test opener Majid Khan said that Pakistan has taken a right step by having a judicial commission and fully implementing its recommendations. A step forward would be to hand over the investigation to Pakistani agencies for a thorough probe. In India, the investigation has been handed over to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which was a right step. The South African Government had also instituted a commission to fully probe the issue. "Why should not the boards of other countries follow suit?" asked Majid Khan.

Majid Khan said that fingers have been raisedat certain individuals in Australia and England as well. It was necessary that the governments of those countries should investigate these allegations.

"Efforts by all quarters to pinpoint the erring individuals and thereafter handing them exemplary punishments can only ensure a safe future for cricket. These will serve as strong deterrents to youngsters. Cricket has been a respectable game and can regain the same status if sincere efforts are made by all and sundry to clean it from match-fixing and betting", concluded the former PCB chief executive Majid Khan on whose request the Pakistan government had instituted the judicial commission during his tenure.