PCB swings into action to bail out Asif

New Delhi: Efforts are on, in full swing, to assist Mohammed Asif and bail him out of his detention in Dubai for the possession of drugs. There is no charge sheet that has been filed against him yet but the PCB has already sent in legal help. The results of the blood tests are yet to be out after which a final decision is expected.

A few days back Mohammed Asif was bowling his heart out for the Delhi Dardevils in the IPL semi-final and now the pacer is cooling his heels in Dubai, caught in the net of a drug-scandal yet again.

He flew out from Mumbai on Sunday and that morning itself he was detained at the Dubai airport for possessing what sources confirmed to CNN-IBN was a small amount of opium.

"Our team which includes Nadeem Akram (Director, Human Resources) and our lawyers met Asif and told us that he is in a good spirit and is looking forward to return to Pakistan," said PCB’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) Shafqat Naghmi.

According to sources Asif was carrying the contraband in his wallet. Asif also claims that he unaware that he was even carrying it and it was a medicine prescribed by a local doctor for his long-term elbow injury.

"Asif said that he was detained because he possessed a medicine, which the authorities are unsure about and hence will check on it," stated Naghmi.

Dubai authorities have conducted various drug tests on Asif and his fate now lies in those results. PCB and the Pakistan government it seems are trying hard to get Asif off the hook lightly.

"We are hopeful that the entire matter is a mistake or a harmless issue," said Naghmi.

But drug laws in UAE are some of the harshest in the world and it may not be an easy task for Asif to get out of the dock that easily.

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