“PCB boss Butt assured me that board will provide all assistance, cooperation: Haider
November 12th, 2010 - 4:48 pm ICT by ANI
Karachi, Nov 12 (ANI): Following the dramatic turn of events involving Pakistani wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman has finally spoken to him, and assured him of full assistance and cooperation by the board.
Haider said that PCB chief Ijaz Butt had spoken to him on the telephone to find out the circumstances surrounding his sudden departure from the team hotel in Dubai, the Daily Times reported.
“I explained everything to him. I told him I was genuinely concerned about the threats given to me for not getting involved in any racket to fix matches in the one-day series against South Africa,” Haider told TV channels on Thursday.
“I have told the PCB chairman everything and he has assured me that the board will provide me all assistance and cooperation,” the troubled cricketer added.
The 24-year-old player said that he had applied for asylum in Britain after much thought. “I am not stupid that I should give up my promising cricket career and leave my country to come to London. I did it for a reason and I feel safe in London,” he said.
He also revealed that he had handed over two letters delivered to his room in Dubai to the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).
Haider said that he had no immediate plans to return to Pakistan as he feared for his life.
“When a prime minister like Benazir Bhutto could not be safe in Pakistan I am just an ordinary cricketer,” he said, referring to Bhutto’s assassination in Rawalpindi in 2007.
Haider also said that he was happy that the ACU and British Border and Home officials were cooperating with him. “I will not hold anything back from them,” he added.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s High Commissioner in the United Kingdom, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, met Haider on Thursday, and told reporters that he had listened to the player, and that the embassy would provide legal assistance if required. (ANI)
- No cricketer will report fixing in future due to threats, lack of support: Zulqarnain - Apr 20, 2011
- Wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider returns to Pakistan - Apr 25, 2011
- Zulqarnain reconsidering Pakistan return decision after getting threats on phone - Apr 21, 2011
- Zulqarnain wants PCB to clear his 1.5-million-rupee dues - Jan 09, 2011
- Haider comes out of retirement, hopes to represent Pakistan again - May 12, 2011
- Pakistani Cricketer Zulqarnain Haider Turns Up In London After Fleeing From Dubai - Nov 09, 2010
- Haider hopes to resurrect career after PCB's clearance - Jun 17, 2011
- Pakistan's run-away wicketkeeper Zulqarnain plans to go home - Apr 18, 2011
- Zulqarnain Haidar to be grilled by PCB on return to Pakistan - Apr 18, 2011
- Pak authorities yet to give Zulqarnain adequate security despite assurances - Apr 28, 2011
- PCB probe panel raises questions on Zulqarnain's claims - Dec 24, 2010
- Runaway Pak wicketkeeper Zulqarnain runs out of money in UK - Jan 20, 2011
- ICC offers PCB help to probe cricketer who fled - Nov 10, 2010
- No player will report fixing in future: Zulqarnain - Apr 19, 2011
- Zulqarnain withdraws UK asylum plea following Pak Govt 'top-level security' assurance - Apr 16, 2011
Tags: asylum, benazir bhutto, corruption, cricketer, hasan, high commissioner, international cricket council, karachi, legal assistance, pakistan cricket board, pakistan cricket board pcb, prime minister, rawalpindi, shamsul, sudden departure, team hotel, tv channels, two letters, wajid, zulqarnain haider