Karachi, Dec. 17 : Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has vowed to make himself fit enough to be considered for the squad for the 2011 World Cup, despite persistent injury problems.

"I believe I still got three to four years international cricket left in me. I have fully gained my fitness and looking forward to serve the country," the Daily Times quoted him as telling reporters at the Karachi National Stadium.

Karachi, Dec 16 : Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik has refused to comment on the possibility of playing India in the near future as the Pakistan Cricket Board
(PCB) has put a gag on players talking on the sensitive subject, but hoped his team get a cricket-rich 2009 after the disappointment of not playing much in the year nearing finish.

"I don't want to make any comment because PCB is dealing with the matter relating to cricket tour of India but all I can say is that we are ready to play anywhere the series takes place," The News quoted Malik, as saying.

Sydney/Karachi, Dec. 16 : The alleged presence of Dawood Ibrahim, the man who masterminded the 1993 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and is said to have also played a role in last month's attacks on the same city, is threatening the future of cricket in Pakistan.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Ibrahim is being dubbed as "India''s Osama", and threatens to destroy any remaining hope Pakistan cricket has of re-emerging by dismantling the crucial relationship between the boards of Pakistan and India.

Ibrahim, a notorious gangster who reputedly funds his terrorist activities through a billion-dollar drug trade in Afghan opium.

Karachi, Dec. 15 : Pakistan's chief cricket selector and former leg spinner Abdul Qadir has said that India should tour his country and not deprive cricket fans across the globe of an enthralling contest.

Qadir told reporters here at the National Stadium on the sidelined of the Pentangular One-day Championship that no matches in international cricket ignite more passion and emotions than the Pakistan-India encounters.

Karachi, Dec. 14 : Former Pakistan cricket captain Rameez Raja has asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to stop pleading with the Indian team to tour Pakistan.

"What I say is whatever happens, the Pakistan board should stop pleading teams to tour. It is high time the board started revenue generating tournaments domestically to be self sufficient," Raja said.

"I am not very hopeful of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side getting the clearance to tour Pakistan in the aftermath of Indian Sports Minister MS Gill's comments," The News reported him as saying.

Gill had earlier said that it was not a time to indulge in sporting activities with Pakistan after the Mumbai massacre.

Islamabad/Lahore/Karachi/Peshawar, Dec. 13: Pakistan police have reportedly arrested 167 Jamaat-ud-Dawa operatives and closed down over 50 of its offices across the country in a continued crackdown against the banned group.

The Daily Times quoted official sources in Islamabad as saying that three offices of the Jamaat-ud-Daawa in the national capital were sealed on Friday.

Islamabad''s Chief Commissioner Kamran Lashari said no arrests were made initially, but later in a raid on a fourth office, six operatives were arrested.