Ex-Pakistan Cricket Manager Flees after Fatwa on him issued
New Kerala
When former Pak cricket media manager Mir fled Pak after fatwa was issued against him
London, Apr 30 : After Pakistan had lost to Ireland in the just concluded World Cup, Islamic fundamentalists in Pakistan had issued a fatwa against former cricket team manager PJ Mir for airing his views against some players over their offering prayers (Namaz) in the middle of a match.
The issuance of the fatwa against him had resulted in his fleeing Pakistan, revealed a new investigation by the BBC into the murder of former Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer.
The BBC investigation "The Panorama Show" suggest that some Pakistani players followed the extremist Muslim movement, Tablighi Jamaat.
The claims come as preliminary toxicology tests confirm Woolmer was rendered helpless with a powerful poison before being strangled.
According to the team's former media manager PJ Mir, Woolmer shared his view that senior members of the squad were more interested in praying than playing.
Mir claimed that it was this preoccupation with religion that explained their poor performance in the contest. "I mean Bob had his reservations that the boys, rather than focusing on the religious aspect, they ought to be focusing more on cricket. He wasn't particularly pleased when players were going out to say their prayers in the middle of the game and a substitute was coming in. This continued. He was totally against it," the Daily Mail quoted Mir as saying.
After the team was knocked out of the World Cup, Mir's comments had led to a fatwa being issued against him, following which he was forced to flee Pakistan.
He believes Woolmer may have faced the same fate. "Let's put it this way - if Bob had said what I'd had said I think there would have been a fatwa on him as well," he added.
--- ANI
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