LAHORE - Pakistan's middle-order batsman Umar Akmal was arrested Saturday for violating traffic rules, interfering in government work and ‘scuffling’ with a traffic official.
Police said 23-year-old Akmal, whose brothers Kamran and Adnan also play for Pakistan, did not stop at a traffic signal in the commercial Firdous market area here and later engaged in a scuffle with a traffic warden.
"Three wardens tried to stop him after he violated a traffic signal but he did not. And when he finally stopped, he scuffled with a warden and tore his uniform," Assistant Superintendent of Police in Gulberg Zahid Nawaz told reporters. "Umar is under arrest and a case has been filed against him."
Akmal is charged on three bailable counts and faces a case which could lead up to a big fine or six months in prison. But he denied the charges. "The warden hit me on my face and you can see the wounds," he told reporters. "I myself came to the police station with a request to control the wardens who misbehave with people and police have instead registered a case against me."  Akmal has so far played 16 Tests, 89 one-day internationals and 52 Twenty20 for Pakistan in a career that began in 2009. He is regarded as Pakistan's most talented batsman, but has failed to live up to his potential because of his rashness in batting and approach.  He was dropped from the Test side in 2011 but regularly plays limited overs cricket.
Akmal claimed the incident was captured on CCTV cameras at the traffic signal and the footage would clear his name.
Akmal was due to appear before the Magistrate's Court but Saturday being a half day and Sunday a public holiday he will have to remain in police custody for two nights. Akmal's brother, Kamran, and his father both wanted to meet Umar but weren't allowed to do so by the police.
Akmal's lawyer Wasim Mumtaz said police stopped him from meeting Umar. “The police wasted time and even stopped me from meeting him,” said Mumtaz, who was unsure whether his client will be released on bail before court proceedings on Monday.  Mumtaz added that the authorities had yet to show him a copy of the allegations against his client, a refusal which he described as “unlawful”. Akmal's elder brother Kamran, former Pakistan vice captain, also accompanied the lawyer.
The sources said that the police asked Umar to apologise for the incident, but after the batsman refused, an FIR was lodged at Police Station Gulberg on the charges of negligence and rash driving under section 279, 186 and 353 of the PPC.