Doctor146;s comments irk PCB

The Pakistan Cricket Board PCB today slammed Dr Waqar Ahmed, a member of the drug tribunal, for his reported comments that Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif could be pardoned, saying such a statement could jeopardise the 8220;independent nature of the tribunal.8221;

Ahmed had created a flutter yesterday by suggesting that the two could be pardoned if it was true that they had taken the banned substance inadvertently.

8220;We are looking into this matter as no member of the tribunal is supposed to interact with the media or give statements during the proceedings. The doctor had no business making such a statement,8221; PCB director operations Saleem Altaf said.