ISLAMABAD: Six members of the National Assembly, led by a member of the ruling Muslim League (N) party, have filed a motion in the National Assembly in protest at the five-year ban on Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar. MNA Hanif Abbasi told a news conference here on Wednesday that the board action was unacceptable, as it did not have a democratic constitution. “If the board does not relent we will get this ban overturned in parliament,” Abbasi said. Dozens of protesters also held demonstrations in Rawalpindi demanding the board officials be sacked by the government and for the ban to be overturned.

Abasi said Mohammad Jameel Malik, Mohammad Junaid Anwar, Dr Tariq Fazal, Malik Abrar, Berjees Tahir and himself had signed the motion that had been submitted in the assembly secretariat. He said Pervez Musharraf brought Nasim Ashraf in the board but he proved his selection wrong by destroying the game of cricket in the country. “Players are ambassadors of the country but the PCB officials are discouraging the national heroes,” he added. He said Pakistan faced shameful defeats during the tenure of Nasim.