LAHORE – The Lahore High Court on Monday dismissed a petition against distribution of cash prize to Pakistan cricket team by Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif from national exchequer, ruling that courts cannot interfere in policy matter of government. If the government wants to give award to someone for encouragement, the courts have nothing to do with it.
CM has announced Rs500,000 cash prize each to Pakistan cricket team players from public exchequer. Barrister Javed Iqbal Jaffrey had challenged it in the LHC, requiring court to restrain the chief minister from misusing public money.
He said the chief minister should give cash prize to players from his own pocket as he had no right to waste public money. He said CM should be stopped from hosting reception in honour of team as it would cost about Rs3 million to the national exchequer..
