LAHORE: Justice Mazhar Ali Akbar Naqvi of Lahore High Court on Tuesday allowed suspended cricketer Shahzaib Hassan, who is facing charges of Pakistan Super League spot-fixing before an anti-corruption tribunal of the Pakistan Cricket Board, to travel abroad for one time. Shahzaib had challenged the order of the Ministry of Interior and had sought removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL). Usman Anwar, Federal Investigation Agency director of Punjab, appeared before the court and informed that on application of the PCB the investigation was started against Shahzaib. He said that the FIA had no objection if Shahzaib, on guarantee, proceed abroad for one time.
Along with cricketers Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif, Shahzaib have been provisionally suspended from all forms of cricket for violating the Pakistan Cricket Board’s anti-corruption code. Sharjeel and Latif, who were suspended during the opening week of the PSL for suspected links with an international fixing syndicate, face a minimum five years’ ban. Shahzaib also faces a minimum five years’ ban.
Earlier, Shahzaib’s counsel pleaded before the court that the spot-fixing proceedings were still pending against Shahzaib but the Ministry of Interior, at the behest of the PCB, placed his name on the ECL. He also submitted that it was unjust as an action had been taken against Shahzaib even when he was not declared guilty by a court of law. He asserted that action of the Ministry was a clear a violation of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan. He requested the court to remove the name of the petitioner from the ECL as he wanted to visit his family in UK. Shahzaib, who represented Pakistan in the 2009 World T20 Cup in England that the country won, has been charged with breaches of Articles 2.1.4; 2.4.4; and 2.4.5 of the PCB anti- corruption code.