Shoaib Akhtar summoned by FIA over PCB advisor's complaint

Lahore: Former Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar, who was accused of cyberstalking by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s legal advisor, has been summoned by the Federal Investigation Agency’s cybercrime wing on Friday to record his statement.

The accusation was made against Akhtar by Taffazul Rizvi in a complaint filed with the FIA last week. No case has been registered till now against the former cricketer, who told a local TV channel that he is yet to receive the FIA notice.

“We have examined Rizvi’s complaint against Akhtar in which the former said the latter committed the offense of cyberstalking against him on his YouTube channel,” an official told PTI on Wednesday evening.

“He said that in light of the initial probe into the matter,” the FIA cybercrime wing has summoned Akthar on Friday to record his statement.

“We will see about the registration of an FIR (first investigation report) after recording the statement of Shoaib Akhtar and confronting him in this respect,” the official said.

Last month, Rizvi had served a defamation notice of PKR 100 million on Akhtar for using “inappropriate and derogatory” language against him in a video clip on his YouTube channel.

Akhtar has often been criticized in the past for his aggressive style of talking.

In this matter, the former cricketer had on his YouTube channel criticized Rizvi, pointing out flaws in the cricket board’s legal department.

Akhtar while commenting on a three-year ban on cricketer Umar Akmal, had said that Rizvi “is an inept person” for being hard on Akmal but not being able to read a basic contract.

“The PCB’s (Pakistan Cricket Board) legal department is rotten to the core. Tafazzul Rizvi in particular is one such individual. He has deep connections and has been with the board for 10-15 years.

“There has never been a case that he has not lost. The thing that angered me the most was when he dragged Shahid Afridi in courts. I believe that stars are born and must be respected, and these lawyers use our high-profile cases to earn fame,” he had said.

Akhtar also had said, “Rizvi has lost cases against me, Afridi, doping case, everything. What he does is that he pits PCB against its players and profits off of their legal wrangles.”

“Umar Akmal can be banned for not reporting an approach but the legal department could not see that the PCB itself was making agreements that allowed a third party to make PSL matches available for gambling,” he lamented.