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Journalism of Courage
The Lahore High Court (LHC) has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for delaying replying to Shoaib Akhtar’s petition and directed it to file its response by the next hearing on September 27.
Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar had approached the court to seek removal of the 18-month ban on his playing cricket and the fine of seven millions rupees imposed by the PCB”s appellate tribunal under disciplinary laws.
The court criticized the working of the board for failing to file a reply to the petition since a long time.
The board is destroying cricket. I don”t know how the board is operating and I am surprised at the failure to file the reply, the Nation quoted Justice Saeed,as saying.
Though the Lahore High Court had suspended the ban and allowed Akhtar to play cricket,but the PCB,as Akhtar claimed,had deducted the fine amount from his earnings.
Akhtar’s counsel Abid Hassan Minto told the court that the PCB banned Akhtar and imposed fine at a stage when his central contract had come to an end,and as per the rules,no punishment could be awarded to a player when he is no more enjoying that contract.
The PCB’s legal advisor,Tafazzul Rizvi,said the court passed the remarks in a light mood. The PCB had to control the cricket affairs and the powers delegated to it,included applying rules even to those players who were not enjoying the central contract,he added.
Akhtar announced his retirement from international cricket during the recent World Cup and also pulled out of the Sri Lankan Premier League Twenty20 tournament owing to his personal and business commitments.
