LAHORE: Pakistani cricketer Umar Akmal, known for his scuffles with the authorities, has been embroiled in yet another controversy.
The star player, who was a part of Lahore Qalandars in season 2 of Pakistan Super League, told Geo News that excise police officers misbehaved with him.
The Ministry of Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department, Punjab, police were conducting an operation against fancy number plates near the Cavalry Ground. The police had stopped many vehicles and were taking off their number plates.
They also stopped Akmal’s car and were doing the same. This made the cricketer angry and led to a minor scuffle with the police, although he didn’t get off his car.
He claimed that the police officers misbehaved and didn’t even recognise him.
However, the excise department officials rejected the claims.
The cricketer‘s car had a fancy number plate, which is a violation of the law. “We don’t discriminate when it comes to stopping cars with fancy number plates, we have also stopped cars of many MPAs,†said excise department Region C director Muhammad Asif, who was present at the site.
However, when the officials stopped his car, Akmal started misbehaving with the police, said Asif challenging Akmal’s claims that the police misbehaved with him. He said that the officer told Akmal to get another number plate but that enraged him.
When Akmal saw media approaching, he immediately left the site, claimed Asif.
“We respect him but he should set an example of how citizens should behave,†said Asif. “Previously, he misbehaved with traffic police and now excise department,†he added.
This is not the first time Akmal has had a disagreement with the police. In 2014, he was formally charged for engaging in a brawl with a traffic warden near Firdous market area. He was arrested and an FIR was registered for “obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions, rash driving or riding on a public way and assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty”. Later, the challan was withdrawn by the traffic warden.
