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Dubai: The future of Pakistan bowler Mohammad Asif's hangs on the Dubai Police report over his possession of opium.
Asif was detained at Dubai airport on June 1 as he returned to Pakistan from India after playing in the Indian Premier League.
The Dubai Public Prosecution found the bowler was carrying 0.24 gram of opium in his wallet and he was released after 19 days in custody.
Shafqat Naghmi, the Chief Operating Officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), told Gulf News: "We are in the process of collecting details of what the Dubai authorities have mentioned in their report.
"The report of the police will form the basis of our investigation into the matter."
Questioning
Naghmi is in Dubai to attend the International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive Committee meeting.
"The police report on the incident is very important. We can ask Asif a hundred questions on this incident and he will give us hundred answers but unless we get the Dubai police report there is not point in questioning him," said Naghmi.
The PCB has appointed a three member committee comprising Naghmi, Zakir Khan, the PCB director of cricket, and Nadeem Akram, PCB director of human resource, to investigate the matter.
When asked whether a verdict on Asif would be possible before the Champions Trophy so he could potentially play in the tournament, Naghmi said: "I wont comment on that right now. If the Dubai police report is negative then it will be bad but if it is positive then it will be easy.
"Till now we have not invited Asif for a hearing as he is obviously going to claim that he did not do anything wrong. So what we need is the report and the decision will be made on it," concluded Naghmi.
Asif has taken 51 wickets in 11 Test matches and 36 wickets from 31 One-dayers.
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