Karachi: Four newly elected members (national assembly) of Pakistan parliament on Wednesday filed a motion in the national assembly asking for a discussion on the five-year ban imposed on fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.

Hanif Abbasi — an influential member of the ruling Muslim League Nawaz Group party — filed the motion and said it was the beginning of a move to bring about reforms in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

“The ban on Shoaib Akhtar is an example of the one-man show and non accountability in the PCB. We want this to be discussed in parliament,” he said.

Shoaib also found support from sports minister Khawaja Asif, who said the PCB should “reconsider the ban”.

The newly elected minister said the “harsh” punishment would be “unacceptable to the nation”.

Asif said the PCB move would not go down well with the team either, which “needs Shoaib’s services”.

But some former players and administrators have also supported the board with former Test batsman Mohsin Khan saying Shoaib had left the board with no option.

“No player is bigger than the game… Let us be clear about that. No board wants to lose a top player but I think Shoaib overdid things and left the board with no option but to take this extreme step,” Khan said. (PTI)