Former Test batsman Aamir Sohail has urged the Pakistani authorities to offer protection to players to encourage them to speak out about match-fixing.

The 35-year-old believes the problem has not yet been stamped out and has also called on the Pakistan Cricket Board to increase allowances for players to help them resist temptation.

Sohail made his comments while giving evidence to Justice Karamat Bhandari's inquiry at Lahore High Court.

The judge is investigating allegations that Pakistan's defeats by Bangladesh and India during the 1999 World Cup in England were both fixed.

The inquiry was set up in May this year following claims from former South African cricket chief and current World Cup 2003 director Ali Bacher that he had been told the two games were fixed.

It is the second government-backed inquiry into match-fixing to be held in Pakistan.

Investigations in various Test-playing nations have so far led to life bans for Malik, Rehman, South African Hansie Cronje and Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Sharma of India.

The Bhandari commission will meet next on 31 December to decide whether to seek a further two-week extension from the government or wrap up the inquiry.

There has so far been no solid evidence, with the Likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Moin Khan, Saeed Anwar and Inzamam-ul-Haq all denying that the two defeats had anything to do with match-fixing.

Bacher has been asked to fly to Pakistan to give evidence, but has yet to reply to the invitation.