PCB begins efforts to get UK visa for Mohammad Amir

Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is preparing a special case in a bid to secure a visa for left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir to travel with the national team to England this summer.

According to PCB sources, chairman Shaharyar Khan and other high-ups have held consultations with their legal advisors and are also in touch with the England and Wales Cricket Board and British High Commission over the matter.

"The board is very keen to ensure that Amir gets a visa to travel to England for the full series but they are aware of the hurdles in the way of this happening due to the strict immigration laws of the United Kingdom," one source said.

Under the UK's immigration laws a person who has been convicted and served time in a UK jail or been deported cannot be issued a visa at least until 10 years after his sentencing.

"The board has given up hope on trying to get visas for Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif but are hopeful that given Amir's background in the spot-fixing case and his age when it happened in 2010 they can get some relaxation for him," the source said.

Butt, Asif and Amir were all found guilty of spot fixing during the fourth test against England at Lords in August, 2010 and later banned for a minimum of five-years by the International Cricket Council.

Since the crime took place in the UK the trio were later also tried in a crown court and served varying times in jail before returning to Pakistan.

But Amir because of his age got a relaxation in his ban from the ICC to resume playing cricket before the ban expired last September but the same was not given to Butt and Asif.

The source said that the PCB had to file visa applications for the England on May 12 and all documentation was ready but in all probability a separate case to secure a visa for Amir would be filed by the board.

"They are in touch with the ECB which has assured them support if required since they also have a lenient view on Amir since he was the first to confess to his crime and also cooperated with the authorities," another source said.

Amir has been included in the training camp being set up for the tour to England which does not include Asif or Butt who was the Pakistan captain when the spot-fixing scandal took place in England.