PCB tribunal resumes hearing Shoaib case

Lahore, Jun 9 (UNI) The PCB-instituted appellate tribunal has resumed hearing controversial fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar's appeal against a five-year ban imposed on him for repeated breaches of discipline.

With the tribunal divided on whether to reduce the five-year ban on Shoaib Akhtar or uphold it, a decision on the temperamental pacer's fate has been delayed by almost a week.

Justice (retd) Farrukh Aftab chaired the meeting yesterday which was also attended by Naveed Chaudhry, who recently replaced Salman Taseer as a member of the tribunal. Taseer resigned as a tribunal member after taking over as the Punjab Governor.

Farrukh said a final decision on the matter was unlikely before June 14.

''We have adjourned the proceedings until June 14. The decision can come on that date or a few days after that,'' he said.

Farrukh said Hasib Ahsan, a former Pakistan Test cricketer and a member of the three-man tribunal, had to miss the proceedings because of health reasons but he has given his go-ahead on telephone.

''He is expected to recover and be available for the next hearing,'' Farrukh said.

Tafazzul Rizvi, the legal counsel for the board, also said a decision on the matter would be out after the June 14 hearing.

''I am confident that we will get a final judgment soon after the next hearing if not on it,'' Rizvi said.

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