Lahore: The ruling Pakistan People’s Party Thursday dubbed as “unjustified” the five-year ban on fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and accused the country’s cricket board chief of victimising him to settle personal scores. The ban is “unjustified” and will finish Shoaib’s career, said Chaudhary Munawar Anjum, spokesman of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said in a statement here.

He alleged the bowler was victimised by the chairman (Nasim Ashraf) of the PCB on the basis of his personal disliking for Shoaib. “Through this unjustified severe punishment, the chairman, PCB, has tried to set personal scores with Shoaib,” Anjum was quoted by official news agency PPP as saying. “It is like ending Shoaib’s career prematurely without a valid reason.”

Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, termed Shoaib Akhtar’s five-year ban as “harsh” and demanded the new government to disband the current board and appoint a new set-up on “more democratic lines”.

Meanwhile, Shoaib said he would have to delay joining the IPL, as he wanted to personally be present on all the appeal hearings to defend himself. He also wants to attend the special hearing of the Pakistan senate standing committee on sports. (PTI)