The government on Monday placed the names of five players involved in Pakistan Super League (PSL) spot-fixing scam on the Exit Control List (ECL). An official source said that Interior Minister Chauhdry Nisar Ali Khan has approved placing the names of five players, including Mohammad Irfan, Sharjeed Khan, Khalid Latif, Shahzaib Hassan and Nasir Jamshed on no-fly list following the request of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) team probing PSL scandal in order to prevent them from leaving the country.
He said that the decision was taken at a meeting presided over by the interior minister and attended by secretary interior, advocate general and senior officials of National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), FIA and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
The official said the FIA officials informed the meeting that they have recorded the statements of Khalid Latif and Muhammad Irfan while remaining players will record their statements on Tuesday (today). The players have also handed over their cellular phones to the FIA investigators who will probe the mobile data, he said. He said the FIA officials further informed that Nasir Jamshed, the other character in corruption scandal, will also be contacted in London.
According to the spokesman for Interior Ministry, the interior minister directed PTA to devise a strategy to block gambling websites in order to discourage and end spot-fixing in cricket. Khan also issued directives to take action against bookies involved in this illegal practice, he said.
He said the interior minister asked the FIA to investigate spot-fixing scam from all angles independently in order to bring those to book who defamed Pakistan. Sharjeel Khan and Khalild Latif were sent home from Dubai during the PSL after they were allegedly found involved in spot-fixing. Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) on March 2 had referred the case of the spot-fixing to the FIA for further investigation.
He said that FIA officials also briefed the meeting about progress in investigation regarding embezzlement in renting a building for the Nadra at exorbitant rate. He said that the interior minister also issued directives to the authority to prefer construction of new buildings for the authority staff in future instead of getting them on rent. The minister further ordered to identify sites for construction of Nadra buildings and preparation of construction plan, he said.
The meeting also discussed security arrangements for the upcoming visit of the UK home secretary and considered bilateral agreements regarding immigration, counterterrorism and human trafficking, which are likely to be signed during the visit of the foreign dignitary, to improve co-ordination between the two countries.