NICOSIA: Cyprus’ chief prosecutor appointed an independent investigator Sunday to oversee a criminal probe into the death of a Pakistani man who was allegedly shot by police earlier this month.
Attorney General George L. Savvides said in a statement that the decision followed a briefing by the chief of police regarding the ongoing inquiry into the incident.
Savvides said he had appointed an independent “criminal investigator in relation to the circumstances of the death of a young man from Pakistan.”
“Senior Counsel of the Republic, Mr. Ninos Kekkos, will lead the investigations being conducted by the police.”
The move comes a day after authorities said the Pakistani national was fatally shot with a police service weapon.
The announcement followed a postmortem exam that contradicted an initial forensic analysis ruling out criminal circumstances.
According to the postmortem, a bullet wound was found on the right side of the man’s back.
Police found the 24-year-old’s body in a field in a suburb of the capital Nicosia on January 6, a national holiday.
Several days later, police disclosed an earlier incident in which officers had fired shots during an attempt to intercept and arrest suspects, saying the death could be connected.
Local news website Phileleftheros reported Sunday that three police officers were being questioned over the shooting, which happened in a different place from where the body was found.
Phileleftheros reported that police had said shots were fired at the tires of a vehicle believed to be involved in illicit migrant smuggling near the line that divides the island into the UN-recognized south and the Turkish-backed north.
Irregular migrants frequently cross the so-called Green Line from the Turkish Cypriot north into the more affluent Greek-speaking Cyprus Republic.
Phileleftheros reported that the health ministry has requested a report from the police on the incident so it can review the forensic expert’s findings.
Cyprus orders probe into alleged police shooting of Pakistani man
https://arab.news/mg2a9
Cyprus orders probe into alleged police shooting of Pakistani man
- Police found the 24-year-old’s body in a field in a suburb of the capital Nicosia on January 6, a national holiday
- Announcement follows postmortem exam that contradicted initial forensic analysis ruling out criminal circumstances
PCB sets Feb. 11 as date for player auction for Pakistan Super League 11th edition
- The squad composition would be a minimum of 16 players and a maximum of 20
- The number of foreign players would be five to seven depending on the squad size
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday announced that the player auction for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be held on Feb. 11, setting the stage for franchises to begin assembling squads for the country’s premier Twenty20 tournament.
The development came after a workshop regarding PSL player auction at the Qaddafi Stadium, which was presided over by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and PSL CEO Salman Naseer.
The workshop was attended by PSL officials, all eight franchise representatives, members of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad, PCB officials and other capped players.
“The HBL PSL management shared a detailed presentation on the mechanics of the retention and the auction process and consulted with all the participants,” the PCB said.
“It was agreed that the HBL PSL player auction will take place on Wednesday, 11 February.”
The squad composition would be a minimum of 16 players and maximum of 20 players per franchise. The number of foreign players would be five to seven depending on the squad size, according to the PCB.
It would be mandatory for the franchises to play minimum of three and maximum of four foreign players in the playing XI. The teams are also required to have minimum of two uncapped Under 23 players in the squad and one in the playing XI.
Players either retained or picked in the auction will be engaged for two-year contracts with their respective franchise teams, the board said, adding that franchise teams will be able to retain a maximum of seven players for the 12th edition of the tournament.
“I’m delighted that a consultative and productive session was held between the franchises, players and management today resulting in informed and strategic decisions which will pave the way for bright future for the HBL PSL,” Naqvi said.
“The Player Auction model is a landmark step for the HBL PSL, offering players better financial opportunities through an increased salary purse and a transparent acquisition process, while making the league more competitive and attractive.”
PSL CEO Naseer said the player auction system modernizes player recruitment by promoting fairness, transparency, and market-driven value, strengthening the PSL’s appeal for both players and franchises.
“Today’s workshop saw all views being taken into consideration and this rich feedback will be reflected in our execution of a successful player auction scheduled next month,” he said.
PSL has become a key pillar of the country’s cricket economy, providing financial stability to the PCB and serving as a talent pipeline for the national team. The 11th edition of the league is set to begin from Mar. 26 while the final is expected to be played on May 3, as per the PCB’s schedule.
