KARACHI, Jan 20: The World Anti-Doping Agency has questioned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over fast bowler Mohammad Asif’s detention last year in the United Arab Emirates for possessing opium.

However, PCB chief operating officer Salim Altaf said on Tuesday that Asif’s 19-day detention which ended with him being deported on June 19 after being found with 0.24 grams of opium at Dubai Airport was outside of WADA’s jurisdiction.

“WADA has sent us a letter in which they have asked us about Asif’s detention in Dubai. At the time, it was out of competition and I don’t think WADA has any jurisdiction over it,” Altaf said, adding that the ICC will have a copy of the new WADA policy in March.

“The ICC has said that each board’s doping policy will be WADA compliant.”

The PCB has formed a three-member committee — comprising former Test wicketkeeper Wasim Bari, now PCB director of human resources, Dr. Sohail Saleem and acting PCB director of media Asif Sohail — to look into the Dubai’s public prosecutor’s report.

Asif, who is currently suspended by the PCB after testing positive for nandrolone during the Indian Premier League, admitted he used opium in Pakistan four months before entering the UAE. He was not charged in Dubai because the amount was so small. “You can’t hang a man until you give him a fair hearing,” Altaf said.

“The report clearly says the quantity (of opium) was so negligible there was no need to pursue it. On the other hand, it is a drug and contains morphine, and from that perspective it is a banned substance.”

Asif was granted a release from his IPL contract with the Delhi Daredevils on Monday due to personal reasons.

“We have released him, but I suppose Asif still needs to have his name cleared if he wants to play official cricket,” Delhi Daredevils chief operating officer Amrit Mathur said.

Asif is scheduled to appear before the IPL drug tribunal on Saturday.

“Currently, I’m under tremendous pressure at all ends and need to regain my focus on resolving matters,” Asif said Monday in a statement.

“My only purpose and wish is to play for Pakistan again, and for that I need to disengage from any other cricket engagements and work toward this.”

The talented seamer has taken 51 wickets in 11 Tests, 36 wickets in 31 One-dayers and 12 wickets in nine Twenty20 internationals since his debut in 2005.—AP