Comment: PCB's failure to act on Qayyum report results in recurring fixing incidents.

Byline: Mohammad Yaqoob

Pakistan Cricket Board's failure in implementing the recommendations of the retired Justice Malik Qayyum Commission report on match-fixing in letter and spirit and Board's practice of patronising those cricketers who were fined and instructed to be kept away from the Board are the major reasons why the spectre of fixing comes back to haunt Pakistan cricket and more players keep falling prey to the strong network of the bookies.

It has been 20 years since the publication of the Qayyum report and yet it is once again being debated in the media. The resurfacing of former captain Salim Malik, who was banned for life by the Qayyum Commission, has triggered the recent debate. Malik has asked the PCB for removal of his ban and for allowing him to be part of mainstream cricket, as done with other tainted cricketers.

Surprisingly, the current debate has once again brought to fore the professional jealousies among the players and have highlighted the fact that certain lobbies are still active behind the scene, which makes it difficult for an analyst or an investigator to reach the right conclusion about anyone.

While few lobbies are declaring some cricketers as heroes, the other are painting them as villains. As one goes through the Qayyum Commission report as well as the media reports published during 1999-2000, one could notice similar attitudes among the cricketers, organisers, bookies and various lobbies who were blaming each other and giving contradictory statements during the hearings of the Judicial Commission.

In his recommendations, Justice Qayyum has admitted on many occasions that 'overall no one could produce strong evidences against any player and the allegations on each other are based on hearsay.'

In one of hisobservations, Qayyum has said that: 'Various cricket experts like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad have stated that for a match to be fixed at least 5-7 players ought to be bought. As seen above, this commission could not find conclusive evidence against as many players, thus on the whole the team is cleared of blame.'

The Justice had also expressed his reservations over the evidence produced by ex-Test wicketkeeper Rashid Latif in video tapes, because those were edited.

However, the PCB's lawyer representing the Board in court, Mr. Sibtain Fazli, in his observations had named Saleem Malik, Wasim Akram and Mushtaq Ahmad as major suspects. He also stated that in the case of Basit Ali and Waqar Younis, there are...