Akhtar has been out of action since February with a knee injury and had an operation in Australia.

• Schedule: Pakistan in England

"Shoaib is an important member of the team. But the board feels that every player should prove his fitness for the England tour which is very important for us," PCB's director of cricket operations Saleem Altaf said.

"We will be organizing one or two practice games in which Shoaib will have to play to prove he has made a full recovery from his knee problem."

Akhtar, 30, was missing from the first day of a conditioning camp ahead of the tour and Altaf said he was trying to find him.

"The camp has begun from Thursday. We are making sure Shoaib reports for the training," he said. The tour starts in late June and Pakistan play four Tests and five one-day internationals.

The camp started with a number of players including captain Inzamam-ul-Haq [Images] missing, and with coach Bob Woolmer [Images] on vacation.

The selectors announced a 21-member preliminary squad for the camp although a dozen players are in Saudi Arabia playing two exhibition matches.

Pacemen Mohammad Asif [Images] and Rana Naved, and all rounder Shahid Afridi [Images], who are playing county cricket in England, have also been exempted from the first phase of the camp.