KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rejected claims by suspended cricketer Sharjeel Khan saying it had proven all charges against the opening batsman before a tribunal and an appeal adjudicator.
This press statement, issued by the PCB, to “address and correct certain misrepresentations by Sharjeel Khan” also rejected Sharjeel’s allegation of a change in the PCB’s code to victimise him and that any amendment in the clause doesn’t apply on the case of Sharjeel Khan.
“Mr Khan claims that the Pakistan Cricket Board amended its Anti-Corruption Code with the aim of preventing players from filing appeals before Pakistani courts. This is completely wrong,” said the statement.
“The true state of affairs is that under both versions of the PCB Code (old and new) an appeal against the order of the Anti-Corruption Tribunal lies with the Independent Adjudicator. Article 7.5.4 provides that the decision of the independent adjudicator on the appeal shall be final and binding to all parties,” the statement went on to state.
The statement elaborated that the amendment made by PCB in fact provided parties with an additional opportunity to appeal i.e. before Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS)as sporting bodies, including those concerning cricket, regard CAS as the final court of appeal.
“To dispel the misinformation, reference can also be made to Article 11.5 of the PCB Code, the relevant portions of which state that the Courts of Pakistan shall have exclusive jurisdiction to issue relief….and/or to hear and determine challenges to any decision issued by the Anti-Corruption Tribunal and/or CAS,” the statement added.
The PCB further clarified that the amendment will affect future cases and does not apply to Sharjeel Khan.
“The PCB team has proven all charges of Corrupt Conduct that it made out against cricketers Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif before the Independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal,” said the PCB.
“Sharjeel appealed his conviction on all 5 charges before the Independent Adjudicator (an Honorable Former Judge of Supreme Court of Pakistan) who rejected Sharjeel’s appeal and upheld the charges. This is indicative of the volume and gravity of evidence that was presented by the PCB and underlines the fact that the case was not prejudiced by any personality,” added the PCB statement.
The statement concluded with the affirmation that the PCB remained resilient in its efforts to eliminate the menace of corruption from the game of cricket.
