he Pakistan Cricket Board has set up a three-member committee to investigate the Zulqarnain Haider fiasco after the runaway wicket-keeper returned home from London last month.
Haider had deserted the national team midway through an one-day series against South Africa the in Dubai last November and sought asylum in London, citing death threats from bookmakers.But the PCB today confirmed that it had got a response from Haider to its notice sent to the cricketer after his return.
"We can confirm that we have received response from Zulqarnain Haider and in accordance with our code of disciplinary proceedings we have formed a three-member committee to look into the matter," a PCB statement said.
The committee is headed by Sultan Rana, head of PCB's domestic cricket operations and includes board members, Colonel Waseem Ahmed (security manager) and Khawaja Ovais.
The board said the committee would meet after Colonel Waseem, who is presently in the West Indies as security manager of the touring Pakistan team, returns to the country.
Reliable sources said that Haider, in his response to the PCB notice, made it clear that he did not inform the team management because he did not have faith in them.
"Basically he has repeated the same things he has been saying for the last six months that he left the team hotel because he was threatened by an unknown person for not cooperating with him in fixing a match of the one-day series against South Africa," one source said.
"He has said nothing new or given any clear explanation to what prompted him to flee the team hotel and fly to London," the source said, adding: "Neither has he named anyone in the team responsible for his act."
Haider, who made his Test debut for Pakistan last year in England, applied for political asylum in London on grounds that his life was under threat.
But he agreed to return to his native country after receiving assurances of security and safety from Pakistan's interior minister, Rehman Malik whom he had met in London.
He returned home late last month and said he was ready to cooperate with any PCB or ICC investigation into corruption in the game.
Haider has also withdrawn his retirement from international cricket which he had made in London.
A PCB source said the stumper could only be allowed to play domestic cricket or considered for Pakistan again if the disciplinary committee clears him.
