New Delhi: New Delhi: Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif has been taken into custody in Dubai for alleged possession of contraband drugs.

The bowler who had been playing here in India at the Indian Premier League for the Delhi Daredevils was returning to Pakistan from Mumbai via Dubai when the arrest was made at the Dubai airport.

“Yes, we can confirm about Asif’s arrest. He was stopped at Dubai airport on charges of carrying opium and was supposed to be brought before the magistrate on Tuesday,” a PCB official confirmed the report to AFP.

If found guilty, the Pakistan fast bowler could face a ban ranging between four months up to a year depending on the quantity of the contraband.

“He is still detained. No formal charges have been framed yet. His lawyer is meeting public prosecuter today in one hour,” Nadeem Akram, the official sent by the PCB to assist in the inquiry, told CNN-IBN.

Meanwhile, Daniyal Hassan, Dawn News Correspondent said that the PCB had already initiated the diplomatic process to handle the case.

“We have got the confirmation that he got arrested more than 24 hours ago. He was in Dubai after 31st of May. He left from India to Dubai and he has been arrested there and has been taken into custody. The CEO of the Pakistan Cricket Board is going to do a press conference today and we are expecting that one of the officials of the PCB might visit Dubai in the near future as well.

“However, they are approaching the Dubai government for diplomatic process and besides that they have approached a local lawyer of Dubai to handle the case. We know that Asif is in custody of police right now but we are sure if he was accompanied by someone else as well,” said Hassan.

This is not the first time that Asif has been in trouble. He was banned along with Shoaib Akhtar for testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid, Nandrolone, just before the ICC Champions Trophy on October 16, 2006.

On November 1, 2006, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) handed down a two-year suspension to Shoaib and a one-year suspension to Asif.

Both Shoaib and Asif appealed against the ban. A second tribunal was set up and on December 5 the same year both were acquitted. Asif was later withdrawn from Pakistan’s World Cup squad with an unrelated injury.

According to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules, an athlete faces a life ban upon being found positive for the second time. Asif was acquitted from the previous charge.

Just before the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa in 2007, Shoaib was rumoured to have hit Asif with a bat, leaving a bruise on his left thigh.

Pakistan cricket has already been jolted when the PCB banned Shoaib Akhtar for five years for charges of repeated indiscipline.

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The bowler who had been playing here in India at the Indian Premier League for the Delhi Daredevils was returning to Pakistan from Mumbai via Dubai when the arrest was made at the Dubai airport.

“Yes, we can confirm about Asif’s arrest. He was stopped at Dubai airport on charges of carrying opium and was supposed to be brought before the magistrate on Tuesday,” a PCB official confirmed the report to AFP.

If found guilty, the Pakistan fast bowler could face a ban ranging between four months up to a year depending on the quantity of the contraband.

“He is still detained. No formal charges have been framed yet. His lawyer is meeting public prosecuter today in one hour,” Nadeem Akram, the official sent by the PCB to assist in the inquiry, told CNN-IBN.

Meanwhile, Daniyal Hassan, Dawn News Correspondent said that the PCB had already initiated the diplomatic process to handle the case.

“We have got the confirmation that he got arrested more than 24 hours ago. He was in Dubai after 31st of May. He left from India to Dubai and he has been arrested there and has been taken into custody. The CEO of the Pakistan Cricket Board is going to do a press conference today and we are expecting that one of the officials of the PCB might visit Dubai in the near future as well.

“However, they are approaching the Dubai government for diplomatic process and besides that they have approached a local lawyer of Dubai to handle the case. We know that Asif is in custody of police right now but we are sure if he was accompanied by someone else as well,” said Hassan.

This is not the first time that Asif has been in trouble. He was banned along with Shoaib Akhtar for testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid, Nandrolone, just before the ICC Champions Trophy on October 16, 2006.

On November 1, 2006, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) handed down a two-year suspension to Shoaib and a one-year suspension to Asif.

Both Shoaib and Asif appealed against the ban. A second tribunal was set up and on December 5 the same year both were acquitted. Asif was later withdrawn from Pakistan’s World Cup squad with an unrelated injury.

According to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules, an athlete faces a life ban upon being found positive for the second time. Asif was acquitted from the previous charge.

Just before the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa in 2007, Shoaib was rumoured to have hit Asif with a bat, leaving a bruise on his left thigh.

Pakistan cricket has already been jolted when the PCB banned Shoaib Akhtar for five years for charges of repeated indiscipline.

Stats Genie

Player

YearOfficalGround
Go

Recent Searches
Recent Series / Tournaments
Bangladesh in Pakistan 2007/08, South Africa in India 2007/08, Sri Lanka in West Indies 2007/08, Ireland in Bangladesh 2007/08
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