S Hasan: Talat spells out policy on Aamir Sohail issue (18 May 1997)

18 May 1997

Talat spells out policy on Aamir Sohail issue

Samiul Hasan

KARACHI, May 17: The three-member Disciplinary Committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will decide on Monday when it has to call Aamir Sohail and ask him to substantiate the match-fixing and bribery allegations he had made against his team-mates.

Chairman of the panel, Talat Ali, confirmed from Lahore on Saturday that he would be going to the board office from where he will make telephone calls to his other colleagues (Sikandar Bakth and Ashraf Qureshi) before setting a date. "The fixing of the date depends on the availability of my other two members. If they were not engaged next week, any date in the coming week will be fixed," Talat Ali said from his residence, adding: "As soon as the decision is made, Aamir Sohail and the Press will be duly informed."

Talat Ali clarified certain things and defended his panel in detail for the first time in this ongoing controversy. The former Test batsman said Aamir Sohail's other colleagues will only be called to appear before the Disciplinary panel if the cricketer (Aamir Sohail) submits anything concrete in support to his accusations. "I mean to say any documentary or convincing evidence. Here, I wish to clarify that the Disciplinary Committee will not accept the contention that that game was fixed and that the skipper decided to field after winning the toss in a day/night match. This is going to be a novel method which I think is unacceptable. "Cricket is a very funny game and it would be a flimsy argument to accept that a player got himself out deliberately," Talat Ali added. The chief of the Disciplinary Committee stated that if the accused players were called on the basis of Aamir Sohail's interview, it would be injustice to them. "Unless we see something convincing, we will not call any player. As far as we are concerned, we have complete faith in our boys and it would be equal to denting their confidence to probe their Loyalties on the basis of just accusations of which the evidence has not been provided at all."

Talat Ali said this stance of the Disciplinary Committee was not confined to just Aamir Sohail. "If any cricketer has any solid evidence, he should come forward. "We want to settle this issue once and for all. It has been lingering on for quite sometime which is neither good for the morale of the team nor for the image of the country." Talat Ali urged Aamir Sohail to cooperate. "We can only hope that Aamir Sohail collaborates with us. He didn't help his cause by refusing to appear before the Disciplinary Committee first time. If he does it again, what can I say. But I would advise him to cash in on the opportunity to clear his name," Talat said.

Replying to another question, Talat Ali stated that no excuse will be accepted if he decides to stay away from appearing before his panel. "If he says the government has directed him not to appear before the Disciplinary Committee, we will not accept the explanation because we need to learn the same from the Ministry.

"Aamir Sohail is not the spokesman of the Ministry," said the Chairman. Talat Ali emphasised that Aamir Sohail had said the same last month when he didn't appear to prove his allegations. "Even then, we heard nothing from the government. I don't know if he misused the name of the government or not, but the government didn't tell us not to go into an inquest. "If the government says this time, I can't say."

Talat Ali stated that his panel would complete a detailed report and will submit it to the Executive Council for final decision. "Naturally if Aamir Sohail doesn't appear before the Committee, he will be banned for two years because that ban has only been suspended not lifted. "But if Aamir Sohail gives evidence in his defence, we will conduct thorough investigations and then will file the report to the Council. Those in-depth investigations will include the cross investigations of the accused provided we get something substantive," emphasised Talat. Talat Ali also explained why Aamir Sohail was fined Rs 50,000 by the Executive Council but was subsequently asked to appear before the Disciplinary Committee also. "Aamir Sohail was fined Rs 50,000 because he had violated the PCB Code of Conduct for giving a damaging interview in a newspaper. That was one charge. "Aamir Sohail was then guilty of accusing his team-mates in the similar interview. For that, it was decided in the background of his appeal/unconditional apology that he should be asked to appear again and elaborate/prove his allegations," briefed Talat.

The Chairman said Aamir Sohail earlier was banned for two years in totality÷statement plus allegations. "But the Council last week decided that Sohail should not be left scot-free and while allowing him to resume playing cricket, he should be penalised for giving a statement in the national Press besides giving him another opportunity to prove his comments."

Talat Ali spoke little about Mushtaq Mohammad's and Nasimul Ghani's recent interviews saying if the board told him to issue the coach and the manager letters of explanation, only then notices will be served. "I personally feel that the team official should only stick to cricket team's matters." Talat, however, said Mushtaq Mohammad had informed Majid Khan, Chief Executive of the PCB, before leaving for India that he wanted an enhancement in the monthly emolument.

"Mushtaq had told Majid that since he lives in England, US$1,000 were insufficient for him to support his family. Mushtaq had also told Majid that if an improved contract was not awarded, he was not willing to continue. "Nevertheless, since he has spoken on this issue at an international platform, I don't know what the board will say or do," concluded Talat.

Source:: Dawn (https://xiber.com/dawn/)