Dubai authorities have dropped all charges against Mohammad Asif [Images], detained in Dubai since Sunday for allegedly possessing contraband drugs, and the Pakistani pacer is set to fly home soon.
An official of the Pakistan consulate in Dubai said that the local authorities had not framed any charges against the cricketer and he expects Asif to be back home soon.
According to Dubai customs officials, Asif was caught with 0.24gm of an illegal substance in his wallet and the substance was sent for laboratory tests.
The 25-year-old pacer was detained at the Dubai International Airport on Sunday for allegedly possessing illegal drugs while returning home from Mumbai after playing for the Delhi Daredevils [Images] in the Indian Premier League [Images].
Earlier, Pakistan's ambassador to the UAE Ahsan Ullah Khan was quoted as saying that Asif's detention was a result of a misunderstanding and charges of possessing contraband drugs against the pacer have been dropped.
Pakistan newspaper Dawn newspaper quoted Khan as claiming that a misunderstanding led to Asif's detention but that has been sorted out.
Asif's lawyers were in constant touch with the Dubai prosecution office and the Pakistani missions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai provided all the required helps to the player, Khan said.
© Copyright 2008 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.
|