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Karachi, Aug 17: The judicial commission has summoned the entire 15-man World Cup squad to appear before it in the Aug 23 hearing, an official said. Abdus Salam Khawar, Registrar of the Lahore High Court (LHC), told Dawn from the Punjab metropolis that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been instructed to inform the players of Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum's order.

He added that those out of country can be represented by their lawyers or any other authorized representatives.

The 14 players, including three main accused and five beneficiaries, will be awarded the opportunity to cross-examine their accusers.

``In the first hearing, we have summoned Salim Pervaiz (an alleged bookie) and Ata-ur-Rahman (former Test pacer). Not only the eight players, but the entire team will have the right to cross-examine the two accusers,'' Salam Khawar said.

He said Salim Pervaiz and Ata-ur-Rahman have levelled direct allegations against Salim Malik, Wasim Akram and Ijaz Ahmad. ``But if any other player wants to ask anything, they are also entitled to.''

The LHC Registrar stated that according to the strategy finalized by Justice Qayyum, the hearings would continue every day after Aug 23 ``and each day a new accuser will be summoned.''

He explained that the reason behind summoning an accuser and awarding opportunity to all the accused was to wind up the case as soon as possible.

He stated that the commission can not now afford to accommodate individual requests for cross-examinations. ``We don't have time to summon, for example, Ata-ur-Rahman after every two days.

``The accuser will be available for cross-examination only on that day. However, if the proceedings couldn't end on that particular day, it can be continued the following day,'' he explained.

Salam Khawar said after the cross-examination of Ata-ur-Rahman and Salim Pervaiz, Justice Qayyum will summon the other accusers. He said former players Rashid Latif, Aamir Sohail, Basit Ali, Javed Miandad, Intikhab Alam, Haroon Rasheed and Ramiz Raja have levelled accusations against the players.

``Justice demands that the accused are awarded an opportunity to cross-examine their accusers. Not individually, but the chance is being given collectively to all the players,'' he said.

He emphasised that investigations into match-fixing and betting before the World Cup had almost ended ``barring cross-examination. Hopefully, that would be completed in a week's time.''

Salam Khawar said the investigations into allegations that matches were thrown in the World Cup would start tentatively by Aug 28.

He said the commission was advertising in newspapers on Aug 25 asking people who had any information or any material regarding match-fixing to appear before Justice Qayyum and record their statements/submit any documents.

He, however, said the chances were bleak there would be a big response from the public. He said when the same was advertised last year, only a couple of people appeared without any significant material to substantiate their claim.

``But it is a legal requirement which has to be followed,'' he said.