Asif cleared of drug charges, to fly home soon

DUBAI: Dubai authorities have dropped all charges against Mohammad Asif, detained here since Sunday for allegedly possessing contraband drugs, and the Pakistani pacer is set to fly home soon.
    
An official of the Pakistan consulate here said that the local authorities had not framed any charges against the cricketer and he expected Asif to be back home soon.
   
According to Dubai customs officials, Asif was caught with 0.24gm of an illegal substance in his wallet and the substance was sent for laboratory tests.
    
The 25-year-old pacer was detained at the Dubai International Airport on Sunday for allegedly possessing illegal drugs while returning home after playing for the Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League.
    
Earlier, Pakistan's ambassador to the UAE Ahsan Ullah Khan was quoted as saying that Asif's detention was a result of a misunderstanding and charges of possessing contraband drugs against the pacer have been dropped.
    
Pakistan's 'Dawn' newspaper quoted Khan as claiming that a misunderstanding led to Asif's detention but that has been sorted out.
    
Asif's lawyers were in constant touch with the Dubai prosecution office and the Pakistani missions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai provided all the required helps to the player, Khan said.