KARACHI – The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested two individuals, including an official of Sindh police, for their involvement in organizing and participating in illegal cricket betting activities in Karachi.
The arrests were made by the FIA Anti-Corruption Unit in Islamabad, following an investigation into the illegal gambling operations.
The suspects identified as Mujibur Rehman and Zahid Ali, are accused of having ties to international betting syndicates.
Zahid Ali, one of the arrested individuals, is a police officer from Sindh, a former professional cricketer, and an umpire. Ali continued his career in cricket until 2021, playing at the district level and also serving as an umpire.
The FIA claimed that Zahid Ali was also actively involved in online cricket betting, maintaining connections with female cricketers from international teams. His network reportedly spanned countries including Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ghana, and other African nations.
Ali is said to have introduced himself as a professional umpire and used a WhatsApp group called “World Cricket Law” to connect with others involved in illegal betting.
Furthermore, the FIA revealed that Ali had previously received a notice from the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding his activities.
In addition to his involvement in cricket betting, Ali was allegedly engaged in human trafficking to facilitate the illegal gambling operations. The suspects were also implicated in the creation of fake academic credentials.
The FIA has registered cases against the individuals and is continuing its investigation into the wider international network of cricket-related gambling and betting.
