Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has undergone liposuction surgery to remove excess fat from his ageing body.

"After the liposuction to trim down his weight, Shoaib will require at least three to four months to make a complete recovery and be available to play competitive cricket once again," The News quoted sports medicine specialist, Dr Waqar Ahmed, as saying.

34-year-old Akhtar has endured a decade-long career littered with fitness troubles, injury woe and drug-related troubles and his latest operation has duly peeved the Pakistan Cricket Board, who earlier in the year refused to foot the plighted pace ace's growing medical bills.

"He is a centrally contracted player and he is supposed to consult our medical panel and inform us before undergoing any medical treatment but he didn't do this before opting for the liposuction," a PCB official said.

Meanwhile, seamer Mohammad Asif has vowed to repair his once promising career which has been stalled by injury and drug scandals, saying he wants to help the team win in New Zealand and prove the bad times are behind him.

The 26-year-old is part of Pakistan's Test squad for the three-match Test series against New Zealand which opens at Dunedin from November 24. He last played in a Test more than two years.

"I am determined to put my recent past behind me. I have learnt my lessons and now fully geared up to play a leading role in the Test series against New Zealand and then in Australia," Asif told AFP.

Asif was recalled for the Champions Trophy in South Africa last month after a one-year ban imposed for a failed dope test in the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League expired.

He played just one match in the Champions Trophy and was not selected for the limited-over series against New Zealand because he was not allowed to tour the United Arab Emirates following his deportation last year.

The deportation followed his detention at Dubai airport for 19 days while returning from India after featuring in the IPL in 2008.

He was found in possession of opium but Dubai police deported him after they found the quantity of the drug was "insufficient" to prosecute.

"I have lost two crucial years of my career, first because of injury and then because of other problems, but now I want to focus on my game and take wickets and help my team win," said Asif.

Asif's last Test was against South Africa in Lahore in October 2007.