Cricketer Shahzaib Hasan charged with breach of PCB’s Anti-Corruption Code by tribunal

Cricketer Shahzaib Hasan was charged with breach of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Anti-Corruption Code by the Anti-Corruption Tribunal (ACT) on Friday.

The ACT in Lahore today charged Hasan during a preliminary hearing of the case pertaining to an ongoing probe into spot-fixing allegations which rocked the Pakistan Super League earlier this year.

Hasan, 27, who was earlier provisionally suspended by the PCB, was charged with breaching articles 2.1.4, 2.4.4 and 2.4.5 of the PCB’s code by the tribunal, according to an ACT press release.

Justice (retd) Asghar Haider, Lt Gen (retd) Tauqir Zia, ex-cricketer Wasim Bari, Shahzaib Hasan and his lawyer, two lawyers from the PCB and Col (retd) Mohammad Azam Khan, the head of PCB’s Vigilance and Security Department were present at the tribunal hearing today.

The tribunal agreed upon the procedure and timelines for the case to be adopted under the Anti-Corruption Code.

The PCB is to submit an opening brief detailing its claims along with the evidence by May 4, 2017, the ACT statement said.

Hasan will then be provided an opportunity to respond by May 18, 2017, and the PCB may, at its discretion, file a rebuttal by May 25, 2017.

The case will be heard on a day-to-day basis starting June 1.

Article 2.1.4
Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this Article 2.1

Article 2.4.4
Failing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the Participant to engage in Corrupt Conduct under this Anti-Corruption Code.

Article 2.4.5
Failing or refusing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any incident, fact, or matter that comes to the attention of a Participant that may evidence Corrupt Conduct under this Anti-Corruption Code by another Participant, including (without limitation) approaches or invitations that have been received by another Participant to engage in conduct that would amount to a breach of this Anti-Corruption Code.

Allegations against Hasan come in the backdrop of a series of allegations of corruption and spot-fixing that marred the second edition of the PSL held in February earlier this year in Dubai.

Along with Shahzaib Hasan, cricketers including Khalid Latif, Mohammad Irfan and Sharjeel Khan have recently found themselves in the path of PCB’s anti-corruption and vigilance codes.

Source: Dawn