By Waheed Khan

May 29, 2000

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif believes that the Indian cricket authorities should even investigate Manoj Prabhakar’s involvement in match-fixing.

Latif, a central figure in bringing the match-fixing issue to the fore in Pakistan and internationally, said as a player he had information that Prabhakar was not clean.

"Prabhakar has done a great service to Indian cricket by making public the video tape, but the fact is he is not telling the entire truth. He knows more as he has been part of this racket himself," Latif claimed.

"Their was an incident in 1994 after which I asked questions here and there, and was told how Indian players were also involved with international bookmakers.

The incident occurred when our team was returning from New Zealand. In transit, either in Singapore or Bangkok, we came across Prabhakar.

"He too was either returning or going to New Zealand and he spoke to one of our players about a Christchurch One-dayer. He said that he had heard about the

circumstances in which we lost that match and that he (Prabhakar) should also be told how to make some money like this," narrated Latif.

Earlier, Latif’s allegations against some Pakistan players were vindicated with the release of the Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum report.

"It is also a documented fact that Prabhakar was suspended once by the Indian board for batting slowly in a match against the West Indies. No player is suspended unless the authorities feel he has done something wrong. At that time their was talk that he and Nayan Mongia had deliberately played slowly."

When asked why he was making this statement about a player who had nothing to do with Pakistan, Latif said that for him match-fixing was an international malice, not limited to one country.

"I strongly believe that players from other countries are also involved in this racket, but without evidence I can't take their names." But he maintained that where Prabhakar was concerned, he felt the people should know he was not above board.

"Prabhakar says Kapil offered him money during the 1994 Singer Cup. Why did he keep quiet all these years? Why has he taken so long to blow the whistle and come out with this video tape? In my opinion, it is because Prabhakar has the backing and support of Inderjit Singh Bindra.

"The Indian board has not supported him at all and still does not, which they should do if they want to clean up Indian cricket. But the fact is that if Kapil did approach him with aN offer, it could only be because he knew Prabhakar was also in to the racket. It is just like Salim Malik approaching Mark Waugh and Shane Warne in Karachi the same year, because he knew they had taken money from the Indian bookie in Colombo a few days earlier."

Latif said for sometime he watched from within the team as Malik and others fixed matches. "It was only after they did not heed our warning, nor did the Board do anything, that I and others were forced to go the press."

Latif also pointed out that Prabhakar made his first allegation against teammates only a year after being dumped from the Indian team.

Latif revealed he knew from first hand knowledge of a current Indian player fixing matches. "I don't want to take a name here, because he is a friend. But he is a current player and he told me himself that so and so were involved in fixing matches from time to time. When I asked this person about Kapil Dev, he confided to me how Paaji had helped him build his house at one time in return for favours."

He added, "I feel that when the Pakistan board has had the courage to accept the fact that some of their players are indeed or were match-fixers, other countries should follow similar example and stop trying to protect their own."

He also does not think the Australians are above board. "Just take a look at the Singer Cup match between Pakistan and Australia in Colombo which Malik says was a double fix, and it becomes obvious he is not joking."

By Waheed Khan

26^th May, 2000

KARACHI: Former captain Saleem Malik and opener Saeed Anwar kept a mum on Thursday in the wake of the release of Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum's report by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Malik did see his legal advisor in Lahore on Thursday, but was willing to say no more. "I'll say something tomorrow," was his answer. Similar answers came from Saeed, who has been fined Rs 100,000 and former opener Aamer Sohail, who has been given a run down by the judge for other reasons. Sohail leaves on Friday (today) for England to take up a commentary stint with SkyB television and stated he would only comment after a while and on tape.

Qayyum has noted in his report: "This Commission must take note of the counterproductive nature of those who promised much but had little or no evidence. Mr Aamer Sohail needs to be pinpointed. He promised a lot in public, gave a lot of interviews but in court he seemed to be non-committal. If he had no evidence he should have remained quiet about the matter.

"Later, he came up with further allegations, which he should have made in the first instance." The judge has observed: "Generally, if people have no evidence they should not vilify people in public. Moreover, Sohail's case was sad as he, by his later actions, has effectively condoned the corruption that he had alleged and the people he had accused."

However, for Rashid Latif, the other main accuser, Qayyum has positive things to say. "First and foremost, this Commission must acknowledge Mr Latif, albeit with some reservation because of, inter alia, the tainted evidence he handed in. Nevertheless, his persistence in pursuing this matter needs to be appreciated."

Qayyum has also explained in his report the action recommended against Ata-ur-Rehman. "Ata has prima facie perjured himself. Proceedings have been instituted against him separately. On the charge of match-fixing, this Commission has Ata's confession which he has later resiled from. As against Ata that confession can still be believed. However, against the co-accused Wasim Akram, it is not admissible. By believing Ata's first affidavit, this Commission recommends a ban on him from international cricket for life. Ata should also be fined Rs 400,000, twice the amount of money he first claimed he took from Wasim Akram."

On Wasim, Qayyum is very clear what he thinks about him: "However, once this Commission looks at the allegations in their totality, it feels that all is not well here. He has not cooperated with this Commission. It is only by giving Wasim the benefit of the doubt -- after Ata changed his testimony in suspicious circumstances -- that he has not been found guilty of match-fixing." "He can't be said to be above suspicion. It is, therefore, recommended that he be censured and kept under strict vigilance and further probe be carried out either by the government or by the PCB into his assets acquired during his cricketing tenure and a comparison be made with his income. Furthermore he should be fined Rs 300,000."

Qayyum in his observations has also noted: "This Commission must also take notice of the (in)action of Mr Asif Iqbal. His name has ben bandied around the most during this inquiry as being the first Pakistani involved in match-fixing and even now when allegations are made of gambling in Sharjah, his name features. The Ehtesaab Bureau also reports against him. Yet he has never come forward to clear his name. Asif, legally, does not need to come forward and defend himself. But morally, he ought to have cleared the air."

Referring to the Ehtesaab Bureau report on match-fixing, indiscipline in the team and mismanagement, Qayyum notes that a lot of reasoning used in the report is erroneous. He says that as the report itself was prepared in only two days, the report and investigation was not thorough and it can be largely ignored.

Probe against Mushtaq not over: Qayyum

By Waheed Khan

KARACHI: Mr Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum, the judge who delivered a report on corruption in Pakistan cricket, said on Thursday that all his recommendations were implemented but added that an investigation against leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed was continuing.

"I can only say that all my recommendations have been implemented. I neither have to be happy nor satisfied because it was up to the authorities concerned as to how they handled the report," he said on Thursday from Lahore. But he added that an investigation against Mushtaq had not been completed because one witness had not been found. "We are trying to locate one Mr Butt... Butt, according to my information, is in Kuwait and until I examine him I can't decide whether the allegations against Mushtaq are true or false," the judge said.

Qayyum's report said Mushtaq was accused of match-fixing against Australia in a Singer Cup match in Sri Lanka in 1994. But the judge said in an interview he did not recommend a life ban against the player because his performance in the match had been impressive. "He didn't concede many runs and also took wickets. The accusations didn't match the performance," he said.

Australia won the one-dayer by 28 runs, with Mushtaq taking the wickets of the Waugh twins -- Steve and Mark. His 10 overs cost 34 runs.

Mushtaq, currently touring the West Indies with the Pakistan team, was fined Rs 300,000 by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Qayyum's recommendation "for (having) brought the name of the team into disrepute".

Qayyum also recommended a life ban against Saleem Malik but added that he would not comment as the former captain had said he would go to court to challenge the ban. "I don't want to air my views as Saleem has the right to challenge the verdict. My opinions would only be an interference in the judicial process."

Qayyum said all his recommendations were implemented. "I have seen what has been published today. Everything is the same as what I wrote," he said.

Islamabad, 24 May

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif on Wednesday, hailed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman and Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum for having shown the will and resilience to come down hard on those cricketers, who had been found guilty of match-fixing or not cooperating with the judicial inquiry.

In a statement after the release of the Qayyum report, Latif who played a leading role in first raising the match-fixing issue in international cricket way back in 1995, said he was happy that justice had been done atlast.

"During the last few years I have seen my cricket career go down the drain, but the end result has been worth it. Today they might interpret the Qayyum report in different ways, but the conclusion is that what we have been saying all along, that match-fixing does exist in international cricket is true." Latif said for accepting this truth and bringing it to the fore, Lt Gen Tauqir and his Board members and Justice Qayyum deserve lot of praise.

However, he hoped that the other cricket boards and the International Cricket Council (ICC) would also learn from the courage shown by Pakistan and stop protecting their players and officials. "It is shocking to hear the Indian board president say that no Indian player is involved in match-fixing. Is it a coincidence that every match-fixing scandal which has come to the surface so far has involved an Indian bookie?."

Latif however did express his reservations over the life ban recommended on Ata-ur-Rehman and wanted to known on what grounds this recommendation had been made.

"If it is because he accepted in his affidavit that he took money from Wasim Akram, then why is the person who paid him the money been spared off a life ban." The top wicketkeeper batsman also wanted the Pakistan Board and ICC to further investigate into the ‘News of the World’ story claiming that Salim Malik had told them he had four to five players working with him in fixing matches.

"When they have at last recommended a life ban on Malik and also fined him Rs. one million, then it should also be investigated into who are the five players and ICC official he has spoken about to the tabloid reporters."

By Waheed Khan

18May 2000

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) may not release the Mr Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum report on match-fixing until after the conclusion of the ongoing Test series against the West Indies.

After the conclusion of the rubber, three players -- Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar and Saqlain Mushtaq -- will fly to England, while the rest of the squad will leave for Dhaka for the Asia Cup.

'The News' has learnt from well-placed sources that in recent meetings PCB Chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia has had with his aides, the date of May 30 is being considered to release the report at a press conference. The sources said that an immediate release was ruled out since the issue of President Rafiq Tarar, who had asked for some clarifications on the recommendations made by the judge, had still not been sorted out. However, the PCB's legal advisors and Mr Justice Qayyum himself have been consulted in this connection by Tauqir, who was asked by Tarar to submit the clarifications.

The sources said that though Tauqir himself was keen to release the report as soon as possible as he was getting fed up with different stories and statements appearing about its contents every day in the press, he had been advised to keep it on hold until the Test matches in the Carribean were over.

The sources confirmed that the PCB officials were not happy with a recent statement of Mr Justice Qayyum and had conveyed to him that he must refrain from issuing statements on the report until the same was released.

The judge had given an interview to British newspaper 'The Sunday Telegraph', which quoted him as confirming the names of players supposedly found involved in match-fixing. However, Qayyum later denied that he had ever discussed the contents of the report with the Telegraph reporter, Owen Slot, or disclosing the names of players.

The newspaper has stood by its report as it claims the interview was published verbatim on the basis of an audio tape containing the recording of the interview. The most unfortunate aspect of the report is that now bigger games are being played under its pretext and the real purpose of conducting the judicial inquiry in the first place has been set aside.

By Waheed Khan

13th May 2000

KARACHI: Former Test captain and Chief Executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Majid Khan is one of the people anxiously awaiting the release of the Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum report on match-fixing allegations against some Pakistan players.

'The News' has learnt from well placed sources, that Majid is taking keen interest with the recent developments on the cricket scene particularly the anticipated release of the Justice Qayyum report. His interest, sources say, in fact led him to hold a two hours meeting with former legal advisor of the Board, Ali Sibtain Fazli on Friday in which the possibility of filing a reference against the players suspected of match-fixing in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was discussed threadbare.

Fazli on the other hand was a key player in the Justice Qayyum inquiry deposing on behalf of the Board before he was unceremoniously sacked by the Ad-hoc Committee headed by Dr Zafar Altaf last year in October. Sources say Sibtain Fazli also informed Majid Khan during the meeting that contrary to the general impression being created by some elements, Justice Qayyum was empowered under the 1956 commission of inquiry act to make recommendations in his report.

A report earlier said that President Rafiq Tarar had told Justice Qayyum that he was not authorised to make recommendations to anyone in his report and this was the job of the chief patron of the Board and the Board itself. Fazli also informed Majid that in 1966, their was an example where a Judge gave recommendations in an inquiry report which were later implemented. However, sources say, Fazli did make it clear to Majid that while Justice Qayyum was empowered to make recommendations of action against some players, it was upto the President in his capacity as chief patron to implement them.

General Tauqir Zia's statement, that the members of the present Pakistan team should not be affected by the outcome of the Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum report, has compelled a senator of the suspended Senate to come out all guns blazing.

Iqbal Haider, who was a member of the Senate standing committee on sports, which also followed the match-fixing case with interest until last year and also questioned some players and board officials, said on Thursday that he was shocked to read General Tauqir's statement in the light of what Justice Qayyum had been saying in the international and local media in recent weeks.

He pointed out that Justice Qayyum had stated on several media forums that he had recommended action against seven Pakistan cricketers following his 13 month long judicial inquiry into match-fixing allegations against some players.

"Then how can the board assume now that the Qayyum report is not going to affect any of the present members of the team or for that matter that no planned match-fixing has taken place in the current team?"

Iqbal Haider, a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, also questioned the delay in releasing the Qayyum report if it had found nothing against the players. Interestingly Iqbal Haider and the Senate committee inquired into the match-fixing allegations for nearly two years, but while they were calling the shots, none of them ever showed the urgency to act decisively.

Senator Haider is not the only one to be frustrated and upset by General Tauqir's statement, but the fact remains that the Board Chairman seems to have done his homework well.

According to sources, the General has raised a valid point with the chief patron of the Board, President Rafiq Tarar to whom the Qayyum report was sent eventually, that the Judge couldn’t recommend action against any player, as this was not within the scope of his inquiry.

The General's argument is that the Judicial commission was only supposed to look into the match-fixing issue and give its findings based on its year long inquiry, not recommend action against any player. That was something that had to be decided by the government and the PCB. President Rafiq Tarar, who himself is a retired judge of the supreme court, has now asked for certain clarifications in the Qayyum report, which is to be made public within the next few days.

In fact General Tauqir has held meetings with the Board’s legal advisors and Justice Qayyum himself to sort out these clarifications. Qayyum himself has not been available for his comments although General Tauqir has promised that he will be present at the press conference held to release the report.

There is no doubt now that the Qayyum report will not prove to be damaging, as was feared, for members of the current team, although sources say there is still a chance that the General might choose to fine one or two players.

Though there is a general feeling that the Board is now trying to ensure that the impact of the Qayyum report is toned down, sources say that it is justified in the light of the attitude adopted by other countries while dealing with the match-fixing issue. They argue that it is also fair keeping in mind that even the Qayyum commission did not unearth any hard evidence against the players during the course of its comprehensive inquiry.

According to these sources, General Tauqir has been convinced that it is better to deal with the Pakistan players named in the Qayyum report discreetly and internally without taking the matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) level. The justification for this, sources say, is that if Pakistan does come down hard on its players, it stands the chance of a severe backlash from the international cricket community and irreparable damage to its image. More importantly, the feeling is that when India, Australia and even the ICC can protect their own, why should Pakistan try to be different and face drastic consequences?

Not surprisingly, the person most affected and disappointed by the changing scenario is former captain Rashid Latif, who, since 1995, has waged a lone battle against match fixing. A battle that continues even today. But even he now appears to have run out of steam. In fact, he may have to face disciplinary action from the Board for his recent statements on match fixing and for launching his web site in alleged violation of the players’ code of conduct.

Prabhakar's allegations can't be ignored: Rashid Latif

By Waheed Khan

KARACHI: Former captain Rashid Latif said on Tuesday he could not just dismiss Manoj Prabhakar's claim that Indian legend Kapil Dev had offered him (Prabhakar) money to under-perform during a 1994 Singer Cup match against Pakistan. That match eventually was rained off, even on the reserve day.

"I would not dismiss Prabhakar's claim just like that because of Dev's status in Indian cricket. Because despite everything it has to be accepted that Prabhakar has stood by his allegations of match-fixing against some Indian cricketers all these years, even though he has received no support from his Board," Latif said in Karachi.

He maintained that while he knew that some years back, the Indian board had suspended Prabhakar for a few games because he did not perform to his optimum in a particular international match, yet he would not reject the former Indian allrounder's claims. "During the Singer Cup to be honest, I never got a chance to interact with the Indian players as we were all more concerned about the tournament itself and also it was around that time that suspicions had started in the Pakistan team about things not being right with some players." "Neither did I get to meet Kapil or Prabhakar before that particular match, but yes few years back in a super sixes tournament in Hong Kong, I was told by some South African players among them Adrian Kuiper that they had stage managed a match against and with India to allow both teams to qualify for the semi-finals," he recounted.

"And the impression I got after the match was that it was the arrival of Kapil Dev at the ground which led to the concocted result." Latif stated he could understand Dev breaking down during his interview with BBC and his emotional speech. "Kapil is such a icon in Indian sports, that I don't think he ever expected anyone to ever take his name in the match-fixing scandal. It must have come as a shock to him to hear Bindra taking his name on CNN, which explains his emotional reaction."

However, the former Pakistan captain did make the point that Dev's reaction in breaking down was in complete contrast to the sort of true grit character he displayed throughout his cricket career. Latif felt Prabhakar's allegation should be atleast investigated into to clear all doubts in the current climate when everyone was pointing fingers at each other.

Asked about Vivian Richards claim about a Pakistan captain (Intikhab Alam) forfeiting a toss during a 1974/75 Test match, Latif stated certainly it was not a coincidence that Intikhab had spent time in the West Indies in recent years on a coaching assignment. "Perhaps it was from there that this story has been generated, but how do you disregard someone like Sir Viv Richards."

He did question the purpose of raising this incident after 26 years. "Perhaps Clive Lloyd can shed more light on it." He did remark that in 1995 when the match-fixing scandal first broke out in Pakistan, he and other players in their statements had notified the Board that when confronted by them with the match-fixing issue, Intikhab had told them he would do what the captain wanted. Asked about the outcome of the Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum report, Latif said he like others was waiting patiently for it to be released by the Board.

"I don't know what will happen, but I have always believed that truth does eventually prevail." He however, had a complaint to make, when he said he was dissatisfied with the role of the Indian electronic media in the match-fixing scandal. "This is a serious issue of corruption and transcends all boundaries and affects every country, but I was shocked to see the way Zee TV portrayed the story about my website, which I have launched recently for the benefit of all cricket followers."

He pointed out that Zee had created a impression through its report that he (Latif) was working against Pakistan cricket and had got frustrated after being mistreated by his Board. "It is a wrong impression created. I am first of all a Pakistani and I love my country and cricket, but as far as my stand on match-fixing is concerned, it is a principled one and I have stood by it because I do believe this form of corruption has crept into international cricket and needs to be curbed now."

I recommended action against seven cricketers: Justice Qayyum

By Waheed Khan 16 April 2000

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has received a setback to its efforts to delay the release of the Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum inquiry report on match-fixing and betting allegations against some Pakistan players. On Friday night, Justice Qayyum disclosed in a radio interview that he had recommended action against seven players in the report, but declined to name them. However he did make it clear that he had not recommended strong action against the players, but instead had laid more stress on giving several proposals for the discouragement and elimination of match-fixing in Pakistan cricket.

The findings of the Lahore High Court judge are either lying with the government or the Board since last October, when he submitted it to the Ministry of Sports after a year-long inquiry into the serious allegations. The PCB has claimed that it has not received the report as yet from the government. But according to Justice Qayyum, it was with Chairman PCB General Tauqir Zia. Only few days ago, the PCB chief said that the Judicial Commission’s report would be released sometime in June after the West Indies tour. Wasim Akram, Saleem Malik, Mushtaq Ahmed were among the players, Justice Qayyum is said to have recommended action against on the basis of his year-long inquiry.

To a question, he said he did not understand the purpose of having the inquiry, when it was going to be kept in cold storage. "I don’t know why the report has not been released as yet, but clearly the PCB has some strategy and reasons for not making it public as yet, since recommendations have been made for action against some players. Maybe the Board does not want to implement the actions recommended in the report." He added that the people wanted to know the outcome of the report. In the same programme, former Pakistan captain Imran Khan said no country had held such a detailed inquiry into match-fixing charges as had been done in Pakistan, but the report was still lying in the cold storage. He believed that the Justice Qayyum report should have been made public before the 1999 World Cup adding that unfortunately this was not done and as a result when Pakistan lost the final, the common impression was that betting had taken place on the match.

KARACHI: President Rafiq Tarar on Saturday officially handed over the findings of Mr Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum into match-fixing allegations against some Pakistan cricketers to the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Lt Gen Tauqir Zia called on the president on Saturday at the Aiwaan-e-Sadr and their meeting lasted for around 40 minutes, with the report coming in for a detailed discussion. Aiwaan-e-Sadr Press Secretary Irfan Siddiqui, while confirming that the president had handed over the document to Tauqir, clarified that Tarar himself had received the report only on Thursday. On Thursday, Irfan had said that the President's Secretariat was not in possession of the report and as such there was no question of giving it to the PCB chairman. "We received the report and a summary from the Ministry of Sports and Culture late Thursday night."

It was also confirmed that the president, who is also the patron-in-chief of the PCB, had asked Tauqir to seek clarifications on some of the points made by Mr Justice Qayyum in his report, which was finalised last October following 13 months of hardwork in which some 75 people were questioned and evidence was also submitted.

Without highlighting these points, however, it is learnt that the president has asked the PCB chairman to get back to him in a week's time. It's expected that the PCB will get the points clarified through their legal advisors. However, a source at the President's Secretariat said then it was doubtful if the PCB would be able to release the report in a week's time and felt that that could then take a month, as some points needed to be clarified.

The report has generated a lot of speculation in the aftermath of the Hansie Cronje affair. The International Cricket Council (ICC) have asked the PCB to submit the document to them within five weeks just before they hold their annual conference.

Interestingly, there has also been a lot of conflicting reports and comments about the report from the PCB themselves, with one day an impression being created that the recommendations in the report would be implemented, while the next day it is being stated that the interest of the nation and the players would be taken into consideration while dealing with the report.

Latif furious over ICC
CEO's statement

By Waheed Khan 02 May 2000