14 March 2004	Sunday	22 Muharram 1425

KARACHI, March 13: Huge number of cricket-mad Karachiites faced agony, embarrassment and disappointment on Saturday as thugs hoodwinked them, selling fake Pakistan-India One-day match tickets.

Angry fans claimed thousands of counterfeit tickets were sold, mainly at two spots - UBL Sports Complex and Asghar Ali Shah Stadium - designated by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the sale of tickets.

"Fake tickets were sold at two centres only while those bought from National Stadium were genuine," they claimed.

PCB had announced five centres for ticket sale after the opening day saw chaos at National Stadium and many fans returned empty-handed after failing to buy tickets.

The fake tickets were not only available at the above mentioned two centres. They went into the hands of black- marketeers and even policemen sold them either in black market or lured the innocent ones offering them at normal prices.

The crooks not only sold fake tickets but added to the miseries of the fans as there were only few lucky ones who could get them at their normal prices. To rub salt to wounds, quite a few even bought fake tickets at much higher than the normal prices.

Several followers of the game robbed by thugs told this reporter that almost all fake tickets which were sold for Gate No 8 Muhammad Brothers Enclosure while few were for Intikhab Alam Enclosure.

The cheated fans said the difference between a fake and genuine ticket was word "Pakistan" written in Urdu at the centre.

"A genuine ticket will have the word Pakistan clear while a fake one with a faded one. The paper of the genuine ticket will be smooth with prominent compute bar code. A fake ticket will have substandard material and one can't feel the computer code with fingers," fans said.

"I bought these Rs100 tickets (having seat numbers DD 13 and DD 7) from Asghar Ali Shah from a first-class umpire Asghar. Both proved fake. The guys checking the tickets through computer at the entrance returned me back saying these are fake," an angry fan told Dawn.

Amir Khan said he bought five Rs100 tickets for Rs300 from ticket touts near Hassan Square in presence of heavy police contingents.

"I came early in the morning. I had to stand in queue for hours before I came to know that the tickets are fake. Now neither can I see the match nor I can have my money back," he said.

Imran Saleem had similar story to tell. He was also cheated when he bought two Rs100 tickets for Rs300 near Agha Khan University Hospital, which proved fake.

"I have four bogus Rs100 tickets which a friend of mine bought from somebody from Rizwan Society near Safoora Goth in Gulshan-i- Iqbal," Mohammad Ajmal said.

While the frustrated youths were returning a bearded man in his mid-40s wearing a Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) cap was offering his "service".

"I can put you through if you have a fake ticket. I have just sent five people inside the stadium with fake tickets," the man said but vanished when asked whether he was from KCCA.

The audacity and boldness of the policemen was evident from the fact that they were even encouraging the black-marketeers to sell tickets be it fake or real.

Students, who became part-time ticket touts, did a roaring black market business not only in Police presence but with their support.

"I just sold two Rs100 tickets for Rs1600. I got nine tickets from former captain Rashid Latif who lives in my neighbourhood," Shahzaib, Karachi University student said.