LAHORE: Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has returned the passports of controversial wicket-keeper Zulqarnain Haider's wife and children but refused to give any reasons as to why they were stopped from boarding a flight to England.

“They have told us nothing. They just say they have got orders not to let us travel to the United Kingdom even though we have valid visas and travel documents,” Zulqarnain's wife Shazia told reporters after meeting FIA officials.

Zulqarnain's wife and two daughters were prevented from boarding a flight to London early Saturday morning by FIA officials at the Lahore airport and told to contact the British High Commission in Islamabad and the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Shazia said there appeared to be no legal reason for stopping them to travel to London.

“They have returned our passports and told us to contact the British High Commission in Islamabad which we will do,” she said.

Zulqarnain fled the Pakistan team hotel in Dubai in early November during a one-day series against South Africa claiming he had got threats from a person who wanted him to fix matches. He landed in London, where he has sought asylum and has been granted a temporary residence permit by the home authorities till they decide on his application.

Some Pakistani television channels reported on Sunday that the wicket-keeper had threatened to commit suicide if his family was not allowed to join him.

Zulqarnain's brother, showing the passports and visas of the cricketer's family to the media, said people could only be prevented from travelling abroad if they were involved in criminal activities or were put on the exit control list.

“Neither of these things apply to Zulqarnain's wife and children so why are they being stopped from going to London? The FIA officials have shown us nothing in writing from the British High Commission stating that his family should not be allowed to travel to London,” he said.

“We will ask the British High Commission if they have given any instructions. But I definitely suspect something fishy,” he added.

Shazia said the family didn't have enough money to take legal recourse against the “injustice.”—Agencies