A tribunal hearing Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar's appeal against a five-year ban has been put off for a week, an official said Sunday.

"The tribunal heard arguments from the lawyer of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and lawyers of Akhtar, and the next hearing will be held on June 14," tribunal head Justice (retired) Farrukh Aftab told reporters.

One of the three members of the tribunal, Salman Taseer, had withdrawn after he took over as the governor of Punjab province, while another member, former Test cricketer Haseeb Ahsan, could not attend due to illness.

Lawyer Naveed Chaudhry was last week named as Taseer's replacement.

Aftab said the proceeding would be put off while Chaudhry was briefed on the case.

The 32-year-old Akhtar was banned in April following a series of disciplinary violations, including his public criticism of the PCB in January after he did not make a short-list of 15 players who were offered a central contract.

The ban was suspended for a month to allow Akhtar to feature in a domestic event in India.

Akhtar was already on two years' probation for hitting teammate Mohammad Asif with a bat days before the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa last September.

However, the PCB softened its stance over the player last month following some pressure from the government. Also last month, the board's chairman Nasim Ashraf withdrew a defamation suit against the paceman.

Akhtar had accused Ashraf of demanding a commission from his contract for the Indian event, and said his refusal led to the five-year ban.

Ashraf sued Akhtar for alleged defamation and demanded 200 million rupees (three million dollars) in compensation. Akhtar later made a public apology, leading Ashraf to drop the suit.

Akhtar, who has played 46 Tests and 138 one-day internationals since 1997, is yet to play for Pakistan this year.

(Article: Copyright © 2008 AFP)