Wasim Akram’s arrest warrant issued

A bailable arrest warrant was issued for former captain of the Pakistan cricket team Wasim Akram, by a local court on Tuesday, for not showing up to record his statement in a case he himself had filed almost two years ago.

The 50-year-old Akram has missed 31 court hearings of the said case, leading the Judicial Magistrate-East to once again issue a new hearing date — January 17 — but not before ordering the law enforcement authorities to present the complainant to the court as well.

On August 5, 2015, Akram had registered an FIR at the Bahadurabad Police Station against three unidentified men in a road rage shooting case.

The cricket legend had alleged that he had been shot at on Karachi’s Karsaz Road while he was on his way to attend a bowling camp at the National Stadium Karachi.

The shot was fired after Akram had chased a car that had hit his automobile in a routine accident and fled away.

Later, the owner of the car was identified as Major (retd) Amirul Rehman, whose personal guard is believed to have fired at Akram.

An apology was tendered to the former cricketer, who accepted it but demanded that the driving and arms license of the accused be revoked immediately.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2017.