ISLAMABAD, April 1, 2008 (AFP) - Pakistani paceman Shoaib Akhtar is set to learn his fate later Tuesday after appearing before a disciplinary committee on charges of violating the players' code of conduct, officials said.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Nasim Ashraf is set to announce the committee's decision at a press conference in the capital Islamabad at 4:45 pm (1145 GMT).

Retired Lieutenant General Muneer Hafeez, head of the five-member disciplinary committee, told reporters that the recommendations have been passed to the PCB on the paceman's case.

Akhtar, 32, criticised the PCB for dual standards on awarding central contracts in January this year. He is currently on two-years probation and if found guilty of violating the PCB code he could face a life ban.

In October last year, Akhtar was fined 3.4 million rupees (52,000 dollars) and banned for 13 matches for hitting fellow paceman Mohammad Asif with a bat, just days before the start of the Twenty20 World Championships.

Akhtar was dropped from Pakistan's list of 15 contracted players in January after the paceman had another disappointing year, plagued by injures and discipline problems.

Instead, Akhtar was offered a special retainer deal, which he refused to sign.

Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria also appeared before the committee. Kaneria criticised his demotion from category 'B' to 'C' in the central contract in a website column.

He later blamed a newspaper for publishing his column out of context.