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Friday, May 04, 2012

Asif’s father says release ends pain

SHEIKHUPURA: The father of former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Asif said his son's release from prison Thursday had brought an end to six months of pain for his family and backed the paceman to return to the game.
Asif, 29, was freed from jail in Britain after serving half of a 12-month sentence over a spot-fixing scandal and was taken by his friend Mohammad Haroon to his house in suburban London.
In the Pakistani village of Machikay, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the eastern city of Lahore, Asif's family voiced relief at his release.
"I have spent these six months in pain but I am sure that it's over now," his father Hasan Deen, a farmer, told AFP. "I have not talked to him for seven months but I am happy that his difficult days are over."
Pakistan's captain for the infamous Lord's Test, Salman Butt, is still serving a 30-month term while bowler Mohammad Aamer was released in February this year after completing half of his six months in a youth prison.
"My son is a lion and lived as a lion even in the jail. He has not played for two years but I am sure that if he comes on the field he will shock everyone with his bowling," said Deen, busy supervising the wheat crop on his fields.
Asif's lawyer Ravi Sukul said Asif had begun an appeal against his criminal conviction and will soon proceed with an appeal against his seven-year ICC ban in the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Asif's brother Ashraf said the whole village was eagerly anticipating his return and insisted he was an innocent party in the scandal.
"We strongly believe that Asif didn't do anything wrong, because he was so good at cricket that he was trapped by some people," said Ashraf. "I am sure that he will play again."
Deen said he felt no anger towards his son despite his involvement in one of the most shameful episodes in the history of Pakistani cricket.
"I am not angry with him, why should I be? He will be welcomed back home and if he wants to play cricket I will not stop him," said Deen