Pak runaway wicketkeeper Zulqarnain ’still waiting’ for decision on UK asylum plea

ISLAMABAD - Runaway Pakistani wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, who had suddenly fled to London during a series against South Africa in Dubai early last month, is still waiting for a decision on his application for asylum in the United Kingdom.

After threatening to expose corrupt people in Pakistan cricket on his Facebook page recently, Zulqarnain had surprisingly gone quiet and underground, leading to speculations that perhaps his asylum request had been granted.

However, his brother Aqeel Haider said that Zulqarnain’s application was still under process in the British Home Office.

“His stay has been extended in the United Kingdom by the authorities and he is living peacefully in London, waiting for a decision on his asylum. Right now he does not want to say anything on cricket until his asylum application is decided,” the Daily Times quoted Aqeel, as saying.

He also said that Zulqarnain had appeared before the home department officials in London on December 7 as per schedule, but a final decision on his application was yet to be taken.

“He has also hired a new lawyer to represent him in the case and he is waiting for things to settle down before he can make a comeback to cricket,” he added.

Aqeel said that so far no one from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had contacted the troubled wicketkeeper’s family in Lahore regarding the threatening calls that Zulqarnain’s wife was getting a few days back.

In November, 24-year-old Haider had rocked the world cricket by fleeing to London just hours before Pakistan were scheduled to play their ODI series decider against South Africa in Dubai. The wicketkeeper later revealed that he had taken this extreme step after receiving death threats from match-fixers, and was now seeking asylum in the UK. (ANI)