PCB keeps lid on Dubai prosecutor's report on Asif

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board is tight-lipped about the public prosecutor's report they have received from Dubai on the circumstances leading to the detention of Mohammad Asif in Dubai last month.
    
A senior official, however, confirmed that the report did mention that the authorities while detaining Asif at the airport had found a small quantity of contraband item on him.
    
"We are still going through the details of the report but yes it was a contraband item. We have summoned him on July 23 to face the fact finding committee of the board for this case," Nadeem Akram said.
    
Akram is director administration in the board and also a member of the fact finding panel formed to look into Asif's detention in Dubai. Sources said the contraband item found on Asif was opium.
    
However, sources said the good news for Asif was that he apparently had not used opium when detained at the airport as his urine samples came negative in tests carried out by the Dubai police.
    
"We want to settle this matter as soon as possible because we need to get out these controversies and get these players to start concentrating on cricket," Akram said.
    
Akram was sent to Dubai to help bail out Asif who has been suspended by the board after he tested positive in the Indian Premier League where he played for the Delhi Daredevils.
    
His lawyer Shahid Kazim said he had asked the board to also provide with him a copy of the Dubai police report as it would also reflect on his case with the IPL drugs committee.
    
"We hope to get the copy of the report today and will then decide our action," Kazim said.