August 21, 2007	Tuesday	Sha’aban 7, 1428

LAHORE, Aug 20: Pakistan Cricket Board’s sketchy approach towards handling of serious issues was once again highlighted here on Monday when its own Appellate Tribunal, probing controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar’s case, set aside all charges on grounds that the case had not been dealt properly.

The tribunal, headed by Mueen Afzal, set aside the punishment imposed by the team manager and board’s disciplinary committee in a short order which said the fines against Shoaib were announced without giving the bowler a proper opportunity to defend the case.

“The Appellate Tribunal conducted a hearing today in the case of Shoaib Akhtar’s appeal against the penalties imposed on him by the manager and disciplinary committee. The tribunal in this short order sets forth its decision. The detailed decision with reasons will follow later. The tribunal finds as follows:

a. Shoaib Akhtar’s appeal against the decision of the disciplinary committee is accepted and the decision of the disciplinary committee is set aside.

b. Shoaib Akhtar’s appeal against the decision of the manager is accepted since he was not properly served with notice of the hearing undertaken by the manager. The case is remanded back to the manager for him to undertake a fresh hearing after properly serving Shoaib Akhtar with notice so that he is given an opportunity to be heard before any decision is taken,” Mueen said while reading out his short order.

In addition to PCB’s inability to follow proper procedures in the case, it also came to fore that the notice of the disciplinary hearing could not be served to Shoaib earlier this month since the right address of the bowler was not available with the board. Also, Shoaib himself had not provided his home address while filling up the central contract.

“Yes, it is a mistake on part of both the parties (Shoaib and the PCB). Shoaib should have given his correct address in the central contract and if he could not do so the PCB should have checked it,” observed Mueen.PCB’s chief operating office, Shafqat Naghmi later admitted that the PCB should have verified the bowler’s residential address. “The disciplinary committee delivered the notice for hearing to Shoaib on the regular address which the PCB has been using in the past,” he clarified. “But yes, not checking the address on the central contract was a mistake.”

To recap the events this month, Shoaib was fined Rs 300,000 (Rs 100,000 by team manager Talat Ali Malik and Rs 200,000 by PCB disciplinary committee) on Aug 8 for missing the camp training in Karachi on Aug 4 without intimating the manager and for not appearing before the disciplinary committee to defend his case.

Shoaib lodged an appeal against both the punishments, objecting that he received the notice for hearing two days after the disciplinary committee had announced the fine. Shoaib, in his appeal to the tribunal, had claimed that he missed the training camp after informing captain Shoaib Malik on Aug 4. However, the Pakistan skipper later clarified that he had advised the maverick pacer to inform team manager Talat Ali about the same prior to leaving the camp.

Mueen said the tribunal had also summoned Talat Ali for the hearing and had a telephonic conversation with Shoaib Malik on Monday who was on his way from Sialkot to Lahore at the time.

“I will give the viewpoint of both Talat and Shoaib Malik in the detailed judgement to be announced later. But at present, the short order is enough,” he told a crowded press conference.