PCB to question Aamir on return

The Pakistan Cricket Board has some questions, related to spot-fixing scandal, ready for disgraced fast bowler Muhammad Aamir when he returns home on Saturday.

Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board has some questions, related to spot-fixing scandal, ready for disgraced fast bowler Muhammad Aamir when he returns home tomorrow.

Aamir, 19, is scheduled to return to Lahore tomorrow morning for the first time since he was jailed by a British court last year in October. The court jailed the youngster for six months and also handed out jail terms to his former teammates Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif. Aamir was released from the young offenders institution earlier this month after serving three months in jail but is still under a five year ban from the ICC. "We will be meeting with Aamir when he returns home. We want to have a face to face talk with him on different issues relating to the spot-fixing scandal," said PCB Chief operating officer Subhan Ahmad. "He has not been very honest with us so we have a few questions for him. But at the same time we want him to undergo rehabilitation and learn from his mistakes." Ahmad, however, made it clear that there would be no leniency shown to Aamir as far as his five year ban by the International Cricket Council was concerned. "He will have to follow all the terms and conditions of the ban which means he can`t take part in any cricket related activity or even use our facilities," he said. The PCB official said they would soon be seeking clarification from the ICC on whether it would be possible to start a rehabilitation program for Aamir while he was serving the ban. "We want him to get counselling and attend anti-corruption and behavioural classes. Because we feel he can serve as an example for others that crime does not pay," he said. Aamir has played 14 Tests, 15 ODIs and 18 T20 internationals and was rated by many as a rising superstar in world cricket before he got suspended in September 2010 by the ICC in the wake of the spot-fixing scandal that broke out on Pakistan`s tour to England. Butt and Asif are still serving their jail sentences in the United Kingdom. The family of Aamir is waiting eagerly to meet him. "Whatever has happened, as a family obviously we have missed him. My mother is dying to see him again. It was a terrible ordeal for us when he was in jail and we just kept in touch on telephone or through his lawyers," his brother Ejaz said. "We hope that the Pakistani people have forgiven him and will help in his revival," he added. PTI