Hameed seeks public apology form News of the World

Desperate to redeem his career, Pakistan's discarded Test batsman Yasir Hameed has sought an unconditional 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 Complaints Commission of England through his legal advisor Umar Khayyam yesterday.

"My client has filed the complaint after much deliberations and believes the NOW was instrumental in trying to brutalise and scandalise him and a great country like Pakistan," Khayyam said.

The stylish opener was dropped from the Pakistan team last year in England after playing two Tests following a video recording and its transcripts released by NOW in the midst of the spot-fixing controversy involving Salman Butt, Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Aamir.

The NOW, in the video recording, showed a Hameed talking on the spot-fixing issue and nodding in the affirmative when asked whether Pakistani players were involved in fixing matches.

Hameed later said that the newspaper's undercover reporter had posed as an agent who wanted him to sign him for a prospective sponsorship deal and the entire discussion was taped without his knowledge.

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

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

"We have pointed out that hidden cameras, clandestine listening devices and unauthorised photography was done while persistently pursuing him and intimidating him for the meeting," Khayyam said.

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