Hameed seeks public apology form News of the World

Karachi, Feb 8 (PTI) Desperate to redeem his career,Pakistan''s discarded Test batsman Yasir Hameed has sought anunconditional and public apology from the ''News of the World''newspaper for dragging his name into the spot-fixing scandals.

Hameed filed a formal complaint with the Press ComplaintsCommission of England through his legal advisor Umar Khayyamyesterday.

"My client has filed the complaint after muchdeliberations and believes the NOW was instrumental in tryingto brutalise and scandalise him and a great country likePakistan," Khayyam said.

The stylish opener was dropped from the Pakistan teamlast year in England after playing two Tests following a videorecording and its transcripts released by NOW in the midst ofthe spot-fixing controversy involving Salman Butt, MuhammadAsif and Muhammad Aamir.

The NOW, in the video recording, showed a Hameed talkingon the spot-fixing issue and nodding in the affirmative whenasked whether Pakistani players were involved in fixingmatches.

Hameed later said that the newspaper''s undercoverreporter had posed as an agent who wanted him to sign him fora prospective sponsorship deal and the entire discussion wastaped without his knowledge.

"The report was full of misrepresentation andinaccuracies and we have not asked for any financialcompensation but just an unconditional and public apology sothat the image of our country and my client can be redeemed,"Khayyam said.

He said the complaint was invoked under a clause of thePCC, dealing with the Editors cod of ethics for content.

"We have pointed out that hidden cameras, clandestinelistening devices and unauthorised photography was done whilepersistently pursuing him and intimidating him for themeeting," Khayyam said.

He said his client wanted a public ruling from the PCC,severely admonishing the NOW for planting a story which wentagainst the code of ethics.