Pakistan Judicial commission verdict in match fixing case next week

The one-man commission of Lahore High Court Judge Malik Mohammad Qayyum has held 20 hearings and questioned more than 40 people including current and former players in the last three months.

``I will advise the Judge to close the matter and the commission will give its verdict in the form of a recommendation to the President of Pakistan who is also the Patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB),'' the board's legal adviser Ali Sibtain Fazli told AFP.

A senior police official will testify before the commission on Saturday and introduce some bookies who were caught in Lahore last month.

``I am fully satisfied with the proceedings and we have done our level best to clear Pakistan cricket from the rot,'' Fazli said.

Australian players Mark Waugh and Mark Taylor appeared before the commission on October 6.

Waugh repeated his allegations that former Pakistan captain Salim Malik offered bribes to throw matches during Australia's tour of Pakistan in 1994.

Earlier, Australian players Shane Warne, Tim May and Waugh accused Malik of offering them bribes during Australia's tour of Pakistan in 1994-95.

The Pakistani batsman was absolved of the charges in 1995 by a former Supreme Court Judge on lack of evidence as the Australian players refused to visit Pakistan to substantiate their allegations.

Former Pakistan paceman Ata-ur-Rehman alleged fast bowler Wasim Akram gave him 200,000 rupees (5,000 dollars) to bowl poorly during a one-day match at Christchurch in 1993-94. The legal adviser said it will be up to the Pakistani President to order criminal proceedings or ban a player if found guilty.

Sources said an alleged bookie Salim Pervez in his in-camera statement said he gave Malik and spin bowler Mushtaq Ahmed 100,000 dollars to fix a match in Sri Lanka in 1994. Pervez's statement was used as evidence by Fazli while questioning Mushtaq.

All current players including present captain Aamir Sohail, Wasim Akram, Salim Malik Ejaz Ahmed, Saeed Anwer, Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmed have denied any hand in match fixing and betting.

Former captain Javed Burki and coach Haroon Rasheed in their testimony in October alleged Pakistani players had thrown matches.

PCB Chief Executive Majid Khan, former captain Rashid Latif, Ata-ur-Rehman and Basit Ali made in-camera statements.

The judicial commission had ordered some 16 players to declare their assets last month.

Only five players - Ejaz Ahmed, Saeed Anwer, Saqlain Mushtaq, Basit Ali and Mushtaq Ahmed - declared their assets to the commission.

``We will give another five days to players and we will not need any further hearing for that. Any player found to have more assets than his known sources of income will give an explanation to the Board,'' Fazli said.

PCB initiated the inquiry by setting up a three-member committee in January. The committee in its interim report had implicated Malik, Wasim and Ejaz in September.

A standing committee of the Senate also investigated the matter before the Pakistan Government set up a judicial commission in September.