http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Asif-c1993 denies any plans of seeking political asylum in UK – Cricket News Update
With his protracted stay in the United Kingdom after being released from prison having raised suspicions, out-of-favour Pakistani pacer Mohammad Asif has clarified that he has no intention of seeking political asylum in Britain, and is instead anxious to
return to Pakistan.
“There is no question of applying for political asylum in Britain. Those who run away from Pakistan apply for asylum. I want to return to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 as soon as possible. I intend to return to Pakistan and play for my country,” he told Pakistani channel
Geo News.
The 29-year-old was convicted (along with teammates http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Amir-c76675) and sentenced in November 2011 by the Southwark Crown Court to one year in prison on counts of having conspired to cheat and for having agreed to accept corrupt payments in
exchange for bowling deliberate no-balls during a Test match against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 tribunal, which is still in effect.
The pacer, who had denied the charges leveled against him in court, was released in May this year, after having served half of his sentence, but has yet to return to Pakistan. However, he has clarified that the reasons behind his prolonged stay in the UK
are the appeals he plans to register against his convictions.
“I am training hard and regularly to keep myself fit and I am also preparing to file appeals against my convictions in the spot fixing case,” he said. “I am hopeful that I will play for Pakistan as I played before.”
Asif explained that he had been working with his lawyer, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RD-Shah-c2298 Sukul of Balham Chambers, in order to prepare the grounds for the appeals. He also expressed satisfaction with the manner in which his legal team at the SJS Solicitors had handled his appeal papers.
The UK Home Office has permitted Asif to remain in the country for the purpose of overseeing the appeals against both his conviction, and the ICC ban. Meanwhile, Ravi Sukul and Savita Sukul of SJS Solicitors have confirmed that the right-armer’s application
for an appeal is currently under consideration at the Court of Appeal in London.
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