Pakistan escape Zulqarnain Haider claims asylum in the UK

Cricket News:

After two confusing days on the run Zulqarnain Haider has decided to apply for asylum in the United Kingdom and exposed why he left the Pakistan team in Dubai.Haider met officials from the UK Border Agency this morning for a preliminary meeting about his application. "I had my first interview today over the asylum request I have made with UK authorities," he said. "They asked me custom questions during the interview. The next date for my interview is 10 December. Today's interview was the first part of a process where my application would be considered."

Haider told CNN he felt he had to run away from the Pakistan team because he did not know who he could trust enough to tell about the threats that had been made against him by the match-fixers. "I just felt that if I told anyone about the threat – senior players, my manager, the cricket board – maybe if they are involved in the situation they too will be in trouble."I listened to people in Pakistan who talked about the match-fixing; they said that a lot of people are involved and I felt threatened and very disappointed. I know I can't believe anyone.

If you got threatened then you would not believe people either. If I told anyone they may have contact with these people, so this could cause a problem for my family in Pakistan and also me in Dubai."The decision to apply for asylum was made as the player came under fierce pressure from authorities back home. The Pakistan Cricket Board suspended his contract and the sports minister, Ijaz Hussain Jakhrani, confirmed the government would not support Haider's application.Haider claimed not to be worried about the PCB's decision to suspend his contract. "I played cricket in the right way, and when you are on the right way God helps you all the time," he said.