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Dubai: Before he left Dubai, Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Asif was fingerprinted and his iris scan taken at the CID office, his lawyer said on Friday.
The fast bowler was then taken back to the detention centre at Dubai International Airport, his lawyer Ayman Merdas of Global Advocates and Legal Consultants, told Gulf News.
The fast bowler was later taken to his Emirates flight to Karachi which took off at 1.30am on Friday. He went in business class, which Asif had paid for, his lawyer said.
Asif had been held at the Dubai airport detention centre since June 1 for possessing 0.24 gram of opium. His case was dropped for "insignificance".
The public prosecutor had earlier said that the case was dropped. "In certain cases and for a faster litigation process, the Public Prosecution drops a case for insignificance and deports the suspect," Mohammad Al Nuaimi, Dubai Public Prosecutor, said.
The cricketer was deported and he cannot return to the UAE unless he obtains special permission from the Interior Minister.
Legal sources said the deportation order is an "administrative punishment" and even if the UAE embassy stamps a visa on his passport, Asif cannot visit the UAE without a written authorisation from the minister himself.
The Pakistan Cricket Board will most likely hold an internal enquiry before Asif is cleared to play in the Asia Cup on Tuesday. A senior official of the Board said it will act after it receives a copy of the judgement.
"A crime is a crime and any player who has committed it will be punished," Shafqat Naghmi, COO of the Board, told Gulf News earlier.
But he added that the board "would be glad to have him back."
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