PCB under fire from Lahore High Court

The Pakistan Cricket Board came under scathing criticism from Lahore High Court for failing to file a reply on fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar’s petition against the ban imposed on him on disciplinary charges.
Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed lambasted the working of the board for its failure to file a reply on a writ petition by Akhtar challenging 18-month ban and fine of seven million rupees imposed on him by the appellate tribunal of the Board.
On Friday, petitioner’s counsel Abid Hassan Minto appeared before the court and advanced arguments against penalty imposed by the PCB tribunal.
Justice Azmat Saeed observed: “The board is destroying cricket by its bias approach. A cricketer is fined Rs0.5 million if he apologies to the PCB bosses and if he does not, he is fined upto Rs7 million on personal grudge. This biased mindset will destroy cricket and the PCB someday. I don’t know how the board is operating and I am also surprised at the failure to file their reply for so long,” the Justice remarked.
The LHC set the next date of hearing for September 27, ordering the PCB legal advisor to file his reply before that date at any cost. The court observed that it is strange that the PCB had not filed written reply despite the fact that the case was admitted for regular hearing on July 1, 2007.
Akhtar had challenged the ban and fine that was imposed on him some two years ago. The LHC had suspended the ban and allowed Akhtar to play cricket but the board has already deducted the fine of seven million rupees from the fast bowler’s earnings with them.
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. PCB’s legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi, however, claimed that the Judge had passed the remarks in a light mood.
“I told the Judge during recession that his remarks would be played up and give a negative portrayal of the board in the media,” Rizvi said.
He said he had outlined the policy of the Board on the Akhtar case clearly.