Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday called for the 18-year-old star, Mohammad Aamer, at the centre of cricket's spot-fixing scandal to be shown compassion as the player is from a poor family. Pakistan's tour of England has been overshadowed by newspaper allegations of a betting scam that saw no-balls deliberately bowled in the fourth Test against England at Lord's last month.
Musharraf described the allegations as "very sad", adding that "anyone involved has to be punished". But Aamer, the youngest of the group, should be viewed "compassionately" because of his family's low-income status and the 18-year-old's contribution to the game, Musharraf added. "It is a very sad incident," he told reporters in Hong Kong after addressing an annual investors' forum.
"Anyone involved has to be punished... But (Aamer's) case I feel needs to be seen compassionately... He comes from a poor family. Destroying him would destroy his family." Pakistan's former leader, who said he plans to stand for parliament in the country's next general election in 2013, said Aamer is a "great cricketer" and "we must not allow cricket to lose". "(Aamer) came under the influence of senior players," Musharraf added.
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