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Taking serious note of the match-fixing scandal that rocked the Lord’s Test between Pakistan and England, President Asif Ali Zardari has asked for an immediate preliminary report on the issue from PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt. “The President has directed that he should be kept posted about the developments as to what happened and what is the status of any inquiry that may have been ordered or held in London,” The Daily Times quoted President’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar, as saying in the statement. “The PCB Chairman has been directed to immediately submit a preliminary report about the incident,” it added. Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani had also expressed grave concerns on the allegations. Meanwhile, Sports Minister Ijaz Jakhrani said that the government would wait for the British police to complete their inquiries. “We will take strict action, but first we will have to look at the inquiry report and once it is out and implicates someone then we will give exemplary punishment,” Jakhrani said. “All the players involved must forget to play for Pakistan in future,” he added. The Test match played at the Lord’s was in the midst of a controversy following the arrest by British police of a man on match-fixing allegations connected to the match. A British tabloid has alleged that seven members of the Pakistan team, including captain Salman Butt, were involved in a 150,000-pound betting scam with London-based agent Mazhar Majeed. Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed had earlier confirmed that Scotland Yard police officials had questioned him and several players over the allegations. Yawar said that police officials recorded statements from Butt, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamir and Kamran Akmal.

Zardari summons immediate report on Lord’s Test match-fixing scandal