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Inquiry hearing sets international precedent, says Fazli
AFP
9 January 1999
MELBOURNE, Australia, Jan 9 (AFP) - The special hearing of the
Pakistan judicial commission of inquiry sep up in Australia set a
precedent for international cooperation, Pakistan Cricket Board legal
adviser Ali Sabtain Fazli said Saturday.
``I think we made history today, that you can actually have a court
coming into Australia, set up a Pakistani court here, and that's with
total cooperation from Australia,'' he said.
``This should be something wonderful in times to come ... something
new.
``We were totally at home, we didn't even think we were in Australia.
``I don't want to give my view on the assessment of the information
which has been gathered over here - that's for the judge to decide.''
Presiding judge Abdus Salam Khawar, Fazli, his deputy Ali Sajjad and
Pakistan cricketer Salim Malik's lawyer Azmat Saeed travelled to
Australia for the hearing.
It was called after the controversy involving Australian players Shane
Warne and Mark Waugh, who admitted last month to accepting money from
a mystery Indian bookmaker, known only as John.
Warne and Waugh previously had accused Malik of offering them money to
play badly during Australia's 1994 tour of Pakistan.
Waugh and Warne testified to the inquiry here Friday while retired
Australian player Tim May and former Australian Cricket Board chairman
Alan Crompton appeared before the commission Saturday.
Fazli said the inquiry, which is investigating allegations of
match-fixing and bribery against some Pakistan cricketers, would
reconvene in Pakistan on January 16, with a finding expected by the
end of the month.
Fazli said the inquiry would give details of which players were
considered to be clean, who was under a cloud and who was guilty.
``What he (inquiry head Malik Mohammad Qayyum) has indicated was if he
comes to a finding that someone is guilty, a definite finding, then he
will recommend a life ban,'' Fazli said.
Fazli, Sajjad and Saeed had several run-ins with Australian lawyers
during the sessions here over procedures and lines of questioning, but
the Australian hearing went without major incident.
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