Pakistan's Akhtar given a week to make his case

KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been given a week to present himself before a disciplinary committee investigating charges that he violated the players' code of conduct, officials said on Saturday.

Nasim Ashraf, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), told a news conference that if Akhtar did not appear before the committee within a week to explain himself, a decision would be made regardless.

Akhtar and leg spinner Danish Kaneria have been charged with criticising the PCB's policies after new central contracts were given to 15 players in January.

Akhtar was dropped and Kaneria demoted from the contracts list.

Akhtar, Pakistan's most experienced bowler in the present team, was last year banned for 13 matches and fined 3.4 million rupees ($56,000) for hitting team mate Mohammad Asif in South Africa before the Twenty20 World Cup.

He was dropped for the recent home series against Zimbabwe for lack of match fitness.

Ashraf said the governing body had also cleared Kaneria, pacer Rao Iftikhar and allrounder Yasir Arafat to play in English county cricket this year.