Too harsh? Just right? Or too lenient?

An anti-corruption tribunal of the International Cricket Council Saturday banned former Pakistan captain Salman Butt for ten years, Mohammad Asif for seven years and Mohammad Aamer for five years for their role in a spot-fixing betting scam.

A statement read out at the tribunal said: “The tribunal heard the charges as Aamer agreed to bowl no-balls, and did bowl no-balls and Butt was party to the bowling of those deliberate balls, and the tribunal impsoe the following sanctions.

“On Butt ten years ineligibility, five years of which are suspended on the condition that he doesn’t commit further breaches of the code, and that he participates under the auspices Pakistan Cricket Board in a programme of anti-corruption education.

“On Asif, a sanction of seven years of ineligibility, two years of which are suspended on the condition that he commits no further breach of the code and also participates in an anti-corruption programme.

“On Aamer a sanction of five years ineligibility. No further sanctions are imposed on any player.”

The decisions came after a lengthy nine-hour hearing at the Qatar Financial Center, and following much argument after the players’ lawyers requested the verdict be adjourned as it could affect the criminal case against the players in London.

The charges relate to alleged incidents during a Test match against England at Lord’s last year, when Britain’s News of the World newspaper claimed the players were willing to deliberately bowl no-balls.

The newspaper alleged the players, who are currently provisionally suspended from international cricket, had colluded in a spot-fixing betting scam organised by British-based agent Mazhar Majeed.

The members of the tribunal, headed by Michael Beloff, heard the case for six days last month before deferring the announcement on the request of players’ lawyers.

Last month Beloff revealed that while Asif and Aamer were absolved of the charges relating to another match, the third Test at The Oval (played before the Lord’s match) one charge against Butt remained under investigation.

In a separate development on Friday, British prosecutors charged the three players as well as their agent with corruption offences and summoned them in court on March 17.

The Pakistan trio have repeatedly denied wrongdoing and had shown confidence of resuming their careers.

The bans on Pakistan players have come just a fortnight before the tenth World Cup starts in the sub-continent, highlighting the difficult times the game of cricket is facing against corruption.

Cricket was badly hit by the menace of match-fixing in 2000, resulting in life bans on Pakistan’s Salim Malik and Ata-ur Rehman, India’s Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Sharma and South Africa’s Hansie Cronje.

Butt, Aamer and Asif became the first players banned in spot-fixing, the latest innovation in which players obey specific orders during the game pre-arranged with bookmakers.

The players have 21 days to appeal against the sanctions in the Court of Arbitration for Sport, based in Switzerland.

Teenage Pakistan paceman Mohammad Amir said he was shocked and disappointed at being handed a five-year ban on Saturday.

“I am shocked and hugely disappointed. I wasn’t expecting that much of a ban,” Amir told AFP, just minutes after the anti-corruption tribunal of the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced its verdict here.

Former captain Salman Butt was banned for ten years — with five suspended, Mohammad Asif for seven years — with two suspended — and Amir for five years.

The corruption charges relate to alleged incidents during a Test match against England at Lord’s last year, when Britain’s News of the World newspaper claimed the players were willing to deliberately bowl no-balls.

The newspaper alleged the players had colluded in a spot-fixing scam organised by British-based agent Mazhar Majeed.

Amir said he was still confident of being absolved.

“I was confident that I will get away without any punishment, but this is very hard on me.

“I have just come out of the hearing and have told my family who have tried to console me.

“I will sit with my lawyer and decide about appealing against the verdict.”

Amir’s lawyer Shahid Karim had hinted he would try to convince the tribunal that since his client was only 18, and had never committed any violation of the code before, he should be treated leniently. The players have 21 days to appeal against the sanctions in the Court of Arbitration for Sport, based in Switzerland.

On Friday, British prosecutors charged the three players, as well as Majeed, with corruption offences and summoned them to appear in a London court on March 17.

Karim said he is confident that Amir will appeal.

“It’s a sad day for Pakistan cricket,” Karim told AFP.

“I tried my level best, tried all the provisions which could have helped Amir but a five-year ban is too harsh.”

He is shocked, although he put on a brave face but it’s very tough to be consoled,” said Karim, hinting that the CPS’s announcement also changed the scenario.

“It shocked us,” said Karim of Friday’s developments.

“The CPS announcement came a day before the ICC judgment and it changed the scenario of the Doha hearing.”Amir, only 18, was regarded as one of the hottest properties in international cricket and was compared to legendary Pakistani paceman Wasim Akram within two years of his emergence.

Indian ICC Chief Sharad Pawar proves to be a RAW Agent

Mr Pawar has forgotten his days a politician in India when he was have a great liaison with RAW fact it was RAW that created his political party Nationalist Congress Party in 1999, separating him from Congress when RAW was tasked to dent Congress party by the then BJP government Pawar also remained India`s Defence Minister and Chief Minister of Maharashtra state and yet he says he never has any links with RAW.
_______________________________________________________________

ICC’s Indian Chief Mr. Sharad Pawar has said that he has no links with Indian Intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and has denied the report of The Daily Mail. Perhaps Mr. Pawar has forgotten his days as a politician in India when he was have a great liaison with RAW and in fact it was RAW that created his political party Nationalist Congress Party in 1999, separating him from Congress when RAW was tasked to dent Congress party by the then BJP government. Pawar also remained India’s Defence Minister and Chief Minister of Maharashtra state and yet he says he never has any links with RAW. Mr. Pawar has also said that he never was a part of any conspiracy against Pakistani team. On the other side Pawar’s Party spokesman Mr. Prakash Binsale has also questioned the credibility of the journalists of The Daily Mail who prepared that comprehensive investigative report. Perhaps Mr. Binsale also forget the level of the credibility of the journalists of British tabloid News of The World. Well to remind him, The Daily Mail would like to narrate here that the journalists of the News of The World have an history of getting involved into illegal and fraudulent activities, crossing the prescribed limits, to generate sensation and mint money. To quote a few incidents in this regard, this newspaper Royal Editor Clive Goodman was jailed in 2007 for hatching a conspiracy to access messages while Labour Party’s Senior member Lord Prescott is moving court against the paper for tapping of his phone by the newspaper’s reporter on the directives of the current editor of the paper Mr. Andy Coulson. The Daily Mail questions that are these journalists credible or the journalists like Christina Palmer, Cherry Ferguson and Ambreen Nadeem are more credible, having a number of credible, authenticated and award winning investigative reports to their credits? Mr. Binsale should make a review of the history of the journalists of The News of The World and the reporters of The Daily Mail before barking on the wrong tree.
Coming back to Mr. Pawar’s role in the whole episode, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to England Mr. Wajid Shamsul Hassan also agrees with The Daily Mail’s investigations as he says that the ICC’s action against Pakistan players amidst the live police inquiry was something shocking and unbelievable. He says that taking any action against the suspected players before the outcomes of the ongoing probe by Police and ICC’s own anti-corruption unity was clearly and immature and apparently biased.
The Daily Mail’s investigations had also revealed that the RAW plan was basically aimed at jeopardizing the careers of Pakistan’s pace sensation Muhammad Aamir and Muhammad Asif life youngsters but later the plan was expanded to get the whole team banned and the illogical decision of ICC that it took on Thursday proves that one part of the RAW plan has been executed successfully for which RAW had full blessings of ICC Chief.
The Daily Mail argues that if the whole episode is based on truth and facts, why was ICC’s anti-corruption unit sleeping and woke up only after a tabloid published a rather dramatized report. Where were ICC’s anti-corruption unit’s detectives when all the deals were going on smoothly and even the money had been transferred to the engaged parties? We believe it is a million dollar question and no one from the ICC would be able to answer it.

Tags:

Mohammad Asif

Match fixing

Pakistan cricket

Salman Butt

Mazhar Majeed

Mohammad Amir

Indian ICC Chief working to get Pak team banned for 3 to5 years

                      The Lord`s episode another RAW ploy


           The govt smell rat behind the match fixing drama.

International Cricket Council President Sharad Pawar, an Indian national and Scotland Yard are making futile efforts to involve Pakistanis players in spot-fixing with the yearn desire of 2-3 years ban on Pakistan for taking part in International cricket events; reveal the investigations of The Daily Mail.
These investigations indicate that pre-set drama reveals that ICC chief and its members, The News of the World and notorious Indian intelligence agency RAW were the mastermind behind all this planned mess with special focus on putting the career of new teenage pace sensation of Pakistan Muhammad Aamir at stake who emerging as main threat to the batsmen across the world in the coming years.
The Daily Mail’s investigations reveal that picture of Salman Butt along with bookie and some reporter is clearly fabricated and created in photoshop computer programme that is installed at every newspaper office for sure. Furthermore the video of the bookie, Majeed giving Pounds to Wahab Riaz is also a creation.
The Daily Mail’s investigations indicate that the bookie Mazhar Majeed is a RAW front man and holds a key position in RAW’s illicit fund generation programme that includes running Mafia wings, running brothel houses, prostitution syndicates gambling dens, and betting on matches of Cricket, soccer and even tennis. He was merely a ticket blacker at movie theatres in Mumbai till a few years back when was hand picked by RAW like they did it in Chhota Rajan Case and was put under the command of RAW’s Special Operations Division SOD, headed by Chhota Rajan where he was trained for sports betting.

The Daily Mail’s findings further indicate that Majeed was introduced to different bookies at Mumbai, Delhi, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Dubai by RAW official. These findings reveal that in 2007, RAW arranged Majeed’s meeting with Indian Cricket star Sachin Tendulkar, Harbajjan Singh and Rahul Dravid so that so that they can further introduce Majeed to different players of Cricket teams of different countries, specially Pakistan and world cricketers like Shane Watson do confirm the same. These finding further indicate that in September 2009, an Indian businessman Vijay Aaloowalia, based in Cape Town, South Africa hosted a dinner for Pakistani and Indian cricketers on the sidelines of Champions Trophy. Bookie Majeed was also invited to that dinner where some Pakistani players were introduced to him for the first time. Though the trick didn’t work and Pakistan team defeated India easily in that tournament but Majeed remained sniffing Pak players then onwards.
The Daily Mail’s investigations indicate that RAW’s under cover officials at Indian High Commission at London along with Indian London-based Indian diplomats held meetings with some British journalists after which they finally succeed in getting nod from one particular journalist to organize a fake sting operation with connivance of Majeed, who was already operating under the instruction of his agency officials. The reporter also convinced his newspaper that his sting operation was going to be a genuine one. In the meanwhile the Indian High Commission managed to put it in the ears of the officials of the British police that Pakistani players would get indulged into illegal activities while the ICC Chief was already taken on board by Indian High Commission and RAW officials.
These investigations further reveal that the quick bail of Mazhar Majeed was also sponsored by Indian High Commission and RAW as Indian diplomats at London were seen extraordinarily active after the arrest of Majeed. The Daily Mail’s investigations further reveal that some undercover RAW had approach a Lahore-based a female showbiz artists at Dubai last year. She was told that she should be given leading role in an upcoming multi-star Bollywood thriller. Later she was asked to fix a Pakistani fast bowler as he had promised to work in an advertisement of the company of same film maker and later refused while he was already paid. She was launched for the first time in this direction and she has been re-activated now too to add colours to the drama that has been staged in England.
The Daily Mail’s investigations conclude that the basic aim of RAW was to play havoc with the careers of Aamir like young lot of Pak cricketers but when Sharad Pawar was taken on board, he expanded the plan to get the entry of the Pakistan team banned in international cricket for three to five years.
Meanwhile, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that there might be a conspiracy behind the match-fixing scam adding that initial report has been sought from the Scotland Yard. “We will believe only when we have concrete evidence with us,” Malik told media after attending a high level meeting at the National Crisis Management Cell and meeting with Sports Minister Ijaz Jhakrani.
Malik said a preliminary report on the matter had been sought and that the Pakistan government had written to Scotland Yard through Interpol to get more facts. Rehman Malik said that stern action would be taken if any cricketer is found guilty in the match fixing allegations.
He said that investigations have commenced regarding the involvement of cricketers in a match fixing allegation made by British media; an investigative team of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would visit the United Kingdom to probe the matter after the report of the Scotland Yard. The probe team would search whether or not the match was fixed, or team players were fixed for spot. If any of the players are involved, we will make an example of it and strict action will be taken,” he added.
He said it has been decided to form a 3 member investigative committee consisting of FIA officers and an officer of Ministry of Sports. The ream would consist of Director FIA Admin Headquarter Inam Ghani and Assistant Director FIA Karachi Agha Ishrat while the third member would be nominated by the Sports Minister.
Rehman Malik said that this team would leave for UK after permission from UK. He said that however if the Scotland Yard and Interpol does not provide us the initial report than this team would proceed to UK with or without permission. Meanwhile, Sports Minister Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani said that no charges had been framed against the team so far and until they are charged with something they would continue to play.
Jakhrani stated that alternate team of Pakistan wouldn’t be send to UK for One-day series. He said we would not bring back any player until charges against them are proven. He said that he would meet with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani after which he would be in the position to say whether PCB chairman should be removed or not
Earlier in the day, PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt said, “There is a case going on over here with Scotland Yard. This is only an allegation. There is still no charge or proof on the account. So at this stage, no action will be taken.”
The ICC’s anti-corruption unit has been asked to submit a report on its investigations within the next three days. 

Tags:

Mohammad Asif

Match fixing

Pakistan cricket

Salman Butt

Mazhar Majeed

Mohammad Amir

Pakistan’s sticky wicket

 

Muhammad Asim

Not again! As if there were already not enough troubles in the country, what with the floods and savage lynching of two brothers in Sialkot, we get the cricket too. An investigation by The News of the World paper alleges that it paid £150,000 to a middle man, Mazhar Majeed, for arranging to ‘fix’ a game. Majeed also reportedly boasted that he has ten players on his books, saying that match fixing had been going with this group for two and half years. Majeed was subsequently arrested and then bailed by the police, with several Pakistani players also being questioned. Searches were done in the rooms of some of the players who were also interviewed, resulting in the confiscation of cash and cell phones.

Needless to say the news has been met with widespread disbelief and condemnation both from Pakistanis home and abroad as well as the international community. Even though nobody has been charged with a crime and the allegations remain just that, everyone is feeling a sense of déjà vu. Allegations of bribery, corruption and match fixing have dogged the national side for years. Numerous figures in the world of cricket called for life bans to be handed down to individuals in the latest scandal who are found guilty, yet what will this achieve? Previous suspensions, investigations and bans have failed to purge sleaze and dishonesty from Pakistan’s game.

It is all well and good to pontificate about how dishonest players have tarnished the image of the country and thus call for harsh penalties, but surely we should have realised by now the problem is deeper than a few bad apples in a national sports team. Corruption is endemic in Pakistan as a nation, why should the cricketers be singled out for particular blame? Majeed, the alleged middle-man in this whole affair, said something rather interesting,

“These poor boys need to [do this]. They’re paid peanuts.”

Now before some amongst us call for the alleged culprits to be hung should not the wider circumstances be considered? Whilst not making what they allegedly did correct, desperate times can make people do desperate things. With poverty increasing its depressing grip on society, can we really expect that no one will succumb to conducting affairs in a dishonourable manner?

With a shot at the big time in the world of cricket and a limited playing career as a given, some players are bound to fall prey to the machinations of the gambling mafia. Even the wealth of those who are from a privileged background are not immune to the effects of wider society. Rameez Raja, the former captain, lamented the situation by saying,

“This is a product of a society that lacks leadership and a reflection of how Pakistani society is thinking in that if you want to get to the top you sidetrack the system. It is the mindset of making a quick buck rather than working for the long haul.”

How true. But how can it not be so when Pakistan itself is systematically geared towards rewarding criminals and corruption and those looking for a quick buck? In what world are we living when we expect the cricket team to be immune from the very sleaze that is rewarded not only by general society but by the political system of Pakistan?

When you have the whole sale legitimisation of criminals by laws such the NRO, presidential immunity and others why should the common man respect the law when the very custodians of justice are busy getting away with the worst of crimes? Our secular political system is one that rewards the worst dregs of society, so why should it not bring out the worst even in good people?

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said in a part of a hadith, regarding pardoning a noble woman who stole, narrated in Sahih Muslim,

“…O people, those who have gone before you were destroyed, because if any one of high rank committed theft amongst them, they spared him; and if anyone of low rank committed theft, they inflicted the prescribed punishment upon him. By Allah, if Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would have her hand cut off.”

Indeed this is what is happening in Pakistan. The absence of justice is not an aberration of the system of Pakistan, but rather a confirmation of it. The secular system in Pakistan, by allowing man to legislate whatever laws he likes, through mechanisms like presidential decrees and parliamentary majority has legitimised crime and made our rulers literally a law unto themselves. Secularism has allowed corrupt politicians to legitimise their own actions at the expense of justice.

This is why there are so many cases of corruption and injustice in Pakistan, the cricket team included, because people believe if they too do not cheat they will lose out. This is why no one pays attention to Prime Minister Gillani when he says of the cricket scandal, “It has caused us to bow our heads in shame.”

It is the pathetic response of the Pakistani state to the floods which makes us bow our heads in shame, along with the cynical attempt to deflect a nation’s anger away from the rulers on the serious issue of rescuing millions from disaster on to young men playing a game.

The only solution to this problem is to install a system that is not susceptible to manipulation by the whims of people, dictators or democrats, and that is the Islamic system as embodied by the Khilafah. Shariah law would ensure that criminals, of whatever status in society, are brought to justice by applying divinely prescribed punishments that cannot be altered by rulers or ‘elected’ representatives to suit their personal and political needs.

Once individuals see that even the powerful are subject to the same punishments as they are and the justice being delivered is based upon the guidance of Allah (swt), corruption will inevitably recede in society.

Tags:

Mohammad Asif

Match fixing

Pakistan cricket

Salman Butt

Mazhar Majeed

Mohammad Amir