Nisar directs independent probe into PSL spot-fixing scam

Initial report says probe is ongoing to determine which players established contact with bookies

Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has directed the authorities to complete an investigation into the Pakistan Super League (PSL) spot-fixing scam at the earliest.

"The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) must carry out an investigation into this matter free of pressure and influence," said a statement issued by the interior ministry on Friday.

Nisar said the matter isn't just about the personal act of a few cricketers or an irregularity committed by them, but about the integrity of the country. Therefore, it requires a thorough and detailed probe, he added.



The initial report in this connection pointed out possibilities of the involvement of players and the measures taken to curb spot-fixing. It added that a forensic investigation of the available evidence and information provided by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would help pinpoint responsibility.

Authorities, the report suggested, are also reviewing the possibility of text messages being deleted from the mobile phones of the players to find out which of them had contact established with the bookies and the terms behind such a move.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) provisionally suspended Islamabad United batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif on February 10 as part of an undergoing investigation against corruption during the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL).



The league chairman Najam Sethi, in a statement issued by the PCB, said that the investigation is a clear example of the board’s commitment to driving corruption out of the sport. "It would not be appropriate to comment on the specifics of this case," said Sethi. "However, this investigation is a clear demonstration of our determination to drive corruption out of our sport."

Later, PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan confirmed that two other players named in the corruption scandal – Shahzaib Hasan and Zulfiqar Babar – have been cleared, whereas investigation is still underway in regards to left-arm pacer Mohammad Irfan who was allowed to represent Islamabad United in the remainder of the tournament.