Pakistan match-fixing probe from Sep 22

An inquiry into allegations of match-fixing during the 1999 World Cup will be launched by the Pakistan government on September 22, officials said.

A one-man commission, with Justice Karamat Bhandari of the Lahore High Court, has been appointed by the government to determine whether Pakistan’s matches against Bangladesh and India in the last World Cup were fixed.

A spokesman for the commission said the proceedings would take place at the Lahore High Court.

"We have invited anyone having any information or evidence which can be of help to the commission to register with us by 20th September," commission registrar, Kazim Ali Malik, told Reuters by telephone from Lahore.

It will also look into the conduct of Pakistani umpire Javed Akhtar during the Test match between England and South Africa at Headingley in 1998.

"The terms of reference of the commission are to probe and ascertain whether there was any match-fixing in the matches against Bangladesh and India and to submit recommendations," Malik said.

Ali Bacher, former Managing Director of the South African cricket board, first told the King Commission in South Africa that he had been told by former Pakistan cricket board chief executive Majid Khan that the matches Pakistan played against Bangladesh and India might have been fixed.

"Only those people would be allowed to record statements as witnesses who have their names registered with the commission," Malik said.

He said the commission would determine whether some persons were involved or were responsible for match-fixing and betting and "recommend appropriate action and measures that in future such episodes are not repeated in case of an affirmative finding".

This is the second time in three years that Pakistani authorities appointed a judicial commission to probe into allegations of match-fixing and betting in Pakistani cricket.

Pakistan conducted a judicial inquiry under Lahore High Court judge Malik Qayyum in 1998 after allegations that several players had helped fix matches.

The Pakistan Cricket Board banned former captain Salim Malik and all-rounder Ata-ur-Rehman after the release of the Qayyum report in May last year.

Former captain Wasim Akram and five other cricketers received censure and fines.

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