May 06, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 29, 1429

ISLAMABAD, May 5: Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Dr Nasim Ashraf on Monday withdrew the Rs220 million defamation case against controversial speedster Shoaib Akhtar after he apologised to the former, while retracting the allegations made against the board chief.

The announcement came as Shoaib arrived in New Delhi to participate in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL).

The board chief had filed the defamation suit in a civil court after Shoaib accused him in a TV interview of demanding money from him to allow the paceman to play in the lucrative IPL.

The pacer had further alleged that Dr Nasim had tried to extort money from other Pakistan players as well.

The allegations came after Shoaib was banned for five years by the board’s disciplinary committee for several incidents of indiscipline.

Shoaib made an unconditional apology at an appeal hearing last month and the PCB on Sunday suspended the ban for a month to allow the paceman to play in the league.

Shoaib will be playing for Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders at the IPL.

The board chairman’s lawyer Tafazzul Hyder Rizvi said the purpose of the filing the defamation case was served when Shoaib made a public apology to the nation and also offered the same to him (PCB chief).

“Shoaib came and apologised to the PCB Chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf in person and showed remorse and asked for forgiveness, accepting that he had levelled false and baseless allegations against him,” Tafazzul said.

He added the PCB chairman had therefore decided not to pursue the suit.

Dr Nasim, meanwhile, said his honour remained vindicated after the paceman’s apology.

“I have withdrawn the defamation case as my honour was vindicated after Shoaib apologised publicly and retracted his baseless allegations,” the PCB chief said.

“I forgive him as it was a matter of principle,” he added, with the PCB also withdrawing its suit.

The decision to withdraw the lawsuit is in line with the earlier stance of the PCB chairman that he was neither looking to obstruct the cricketers’ careers nor blocking their earning opportunities but wanted them to follow a code of conduct that they agree to while entering into a contract with the board.

The decision to withdraw the defamation suit, however, will have no bearing on the working of the Appellate Tribunal as it remains outside the jurisdiction of the board chairman; and the appeals of hearing will resume on June 4 as announced by the head of the tribunal Justice Aftab Farrukh.

Agencies add: Local media commented that prime minister’s adviser on interior affairs, Rehman Malik, brokered the deal at a dinner at his house in Islamabad on Sunday night where Dr Nasim forgave Shoaib.

The civil court in Lahore had summoned Shoaib for a hearing on May 16.

Shoaib, after the withdrawal of case against him, said his real fight was still on.

“I am pleased to have my ban suspended which has paved my way to play in India but the real task is ahead and that is to overturn the ban on me,” he stated.

“I want to play for my country and bow out on a high. What has happened to me was disappointing but I want to fight the ban and will resume my appeal on my return,” the temperamental fast bowler added.