KARACHI, (Reuters) – Runaway Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider returned home from London yesterday after being being assured by the government he would be safe in Pakistan.
The wicketkeeper, who had fled the team hotel in Dubai last November during a one-day series against South Africa claiming he had received death threats for refusing to take part in match fixing, arrived in Islamabad was whisked away by security personnel without speaking to the media.
The 24-year-old had applied for asylum in Britain but after recently meeting with Pakistan’s interior minister, Rehman Malik, he said he would return home and withdrew his application with the British Home Office.
Malik said he had spoken to Haider and given him assurances he would receive adequate security. “I have told him that we will provide him with complete security in Pakistan and he has nothing to worry about in this regard,” Malik told reporters.
“But we have told him to meet with PCB officials so that it can be clear when he can return to cricket.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board, who terminated his contract soon after he fled the team hotel and also held back his match fees, has said he will also have to go through a disciplinary process for breaching the players’ code of conduct and his contractual obligations by leaving the team without informing management.
Haider has indicated he will soon meet with the PCB Chairman, Ijaz Butt.
“No sensible person would sacrifice a international cricket career and flee to another country to seek asylum. I have my reasons for doing that,” Haider said.
“I have informed the minister about my situation. I am keen to return to playing cricket and I am satisfied with the assurances about security given by the government.”
Malik earlier said that the Scotland Yard were also looking into the fresh death threats Haider said he had received last week.
