April 05, 2008	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 27, 1429

LAHORE, April 4: Besides filing his appeal on Friday against the five-year ban, fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar also requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to issue him with a no objection certificate (NOC) to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Shoaib came to submit his appeal with his two lawyers Azeem Danyal and Mohammad Ali Lashari, while his fans, gathered outside Gaddafi Stadium’s main gate here, showered him with rose petals.

“I abide by the PCB laws and respect the chairman in adopting this procedure; and I will get justice, Insha Allah,” Shoaib told the reporters while coming out of the PCB offices after filing the appeal.

Shoaib, while advising his fans to remain calm, also thanked them for their support.

A top PCB official acknowledged the receipt of the appeal.

“We have received Shoaib Akhtar’s appeal. The PCB Chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf will now form an appellate tribunal to hear out his case,” said PCB’s Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi while addressing a press conference, soon after receiving the appeal.

“We would be providing the disciplinary committee’s detailed judgment to Shoaib’s lawyers on Monday. The hearing will commence seven days after that,” he added.

Shoaib was reprimanded for breaching the players’ Code of Conduct when he issued a statement in the press against the PCB some two months ago and the PCB’s disciplinary committee announced its decision after holding a meeting with Shoaib on Tuesday.

Shoaib, whose career is in the doldrums with not just Pakistan cricket but also the cash-rich IPL, filed a separate request for an NOC that will enable him to play for the league, starting in India from April 18.

Although Shoaib already had the NOC from the PCB, it was decided by the IPL not to allow him to play in the league until he got himself cleared from the PCB.

A PCB official said Shoaib’s request to allow him to play in the IPL would also be considered along with his appeal (against ban).

Naghmi, however, came under fire while explaining how Dr Nasim could form or head the appellate tribunal, while becoming a party against Shoaib, after giving the bowler a legal notice on Thursday.

“It is all according to the PCB constitution. The chairman has the authority to form the appellate tribunal. But I believe the chairman also understands this and will follow the rules in order to give Shoaib a fair chance,” Naghmi stated.

To a question, Naghmi said that the tribunal had to consider the rules and regulations and no political pressure would have any impact on its decision.

The PCB chairman served Shoaib with a legal notice for allegedly making defamatory comments against the board and its chairman regarding the IPL.

Meanwhile, the PCB chairman said that he would only be forming the appellate tribunal in the next couple of days, adding he would not be heading it.

Agencies add: Naghmi denied that the PCB had been told to review the ban by the Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani.

“No one from the government has given us any instructions on this issue,” he said.

In Karachi Dr Nasim said the tribunal’s decision would be final and binding on Shoaib as the constitution did not allow any further appeals.