LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s Anti-corruption Tribunal (ATC) has imposed one-year ban over tainted former international Nasir Jamshed in a charge for not cooperating with the PCB and the ATC in the spot-fixing case which rocked the 2017 Pakistan Super League in the UAE.

Despite several reminders, Nasir did not appear before the PCB Anti-corruption Department (ACD) — not before the ACT, which in fact is hearing the cases from March — in which apart from Nasir, Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif, Shahzaib Hasan and Mohammad Irfan were also hauled up.

The ATC has already suspended Sharjeel for five years with half the period to be suspended if the player maintains good conduct and his former opening partner Khalid for five years with no such relaxation.

The case of Irfan has already been settled by ACD of the PCB after the lanky fast bowler turned an approver. He faced a one-year suspension with half of the period suspended that had enabled him to compete in the ongoing domestic season.

But Nasir insisted all along that his passport had been seized by England’s National Crime Agency and because of which he was unable to travel to Pakistan.

The tribunal has further stated the period of Nasir’s suspension commences from March.

Nasir, a ex-Pakistan opening batsman, is facing allegations of being the mastermind behind the entire spot-fixing saga.

However, the case of Shahzaib is progressing at a slow pace since his lawyer has summoned Irfan as a witness.

Irfan was due to appear on Monday but he went to Islamabad to get NOC from the FIA to travel to Dubai. The FIA, which has also started the investigation in the case has put Irfan on Exit Control List.

Irfan, who earlier was granted permission to visit Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, now has to appear before the ACU on Thursday.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2017