LAHORE: A Lahore High Court (LHC) division bench Monday dismissed an intra-court appeal (ICA), filed by suspended cricketer Khalid Latif challenging Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB’s) Anti-Corruption Code and the tribunal proceedings regarding the PSL corruption allegations against him.
The bench comprising Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh and Justice Muhammad Sajid Mehmood Sethi heard the appeal.
During the hearing, appellant’s counsel submitted that the LHC single bench had dismissed the petition, filed by Khalid Latif against the PCB Anti-Corruption Code and the tribunal proceedings regarding the PSL corruption allegations against him.
He contended that the single bench orders were not sustainable in the eyes of the law.
He submitted that the PCB Anti-Corruption Code had the status of law and it was mandatory to notify the same in the gazette of Pakistan. Since it was not notified in the gazette, therefore, it was illegal and without any force, he submitted.
He further submitted that the PCB chairman did not have any power to form a tribunal. The court was requested to set aside the LHC single bench order as well as tribunal proceedings.
However, PCB counsel Taffazul Rizvi opposed the contentions and submitted that under the law, it was mandatory to publish only an enactment in the gazette of Pakistan.
However, there was no need of publishing the PCB Anti-Corruption Code in the gazette as it was formed under the PCB constitution to check spot-fixing and cheating practices in November 2015,” he added.
He further said that the PCB constitution was formulated under The Sports (Development and Control) Ordinance 1962 and as per the PCB constitution, the board was authorised to frame its rules. He said that under the code, the chairman used his authority and formed the tribunal. He pleaded with the bench to dismiss the appeal.
The bench, after hearing arguments from both parties, agreed with the stance of the PCB counsel and dismissed the appeal.
Latif has been charged for breaching Articles 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.4.4 and 2.4.5 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code. He faces five charges on counts relating to fixing and failure to report it, and another charge of attempting to lure other players into fixing.
The tribunal, set up to hear the alleged corruption charges against the players, is headed by Justice (retd) Asghar Haider and consists of former PCB Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Tauqir Zia and former Test Captain Wasim Bari.
