Court battle takes new turn

Hyderabad, Oct 6: The on-going court battle between PCB's ad-hoc committee and suspended Hyderabad Division Cricket Association took a new turn on Wednesday when a third party requested Sindh High Court, Hyderabad Circuit Bench to allow him to become intervener in the instant case.

Lawyer Munir Chandio appeared on behalf of Shakeel Qureshi who wanted to become intervener in the instant case between PCB adhoc committee and suspended HDCA.

However, the court directed intervener's counsel to file his application with the office of court which has been submitted. Shakeel Qureshi, who claims to be secretary Pakistan Sports Welfare Association (PSWA) has filed application, supported by an affidavit. He claimed that petitioner association (HDCA) has suppressed facts and has not approached this honourable court with clean hands. He said that people / cricket fans of interior Sindh are not happy with HDCA's performance and it is reported that there has been no elections of association for the last 10 years which is in gross violation of HDCA's constitution.

He added that concerned citizens who have love for cricket formed Cricketers Action Committee (CAC) demanded audited accounts from petitioner of Rs five lakh and condemned undemocratic attitude and action of petitioner.

He said that CAC holds HDCA responsible for the ouster of Hyderabad Division Cricket team from national one-day cricket championship and for restraining junior cricketers from playing in the junior cricket championship.

The affidavit said that serious charges were levelled against HDCA by CAC which requested PCB ad-hoc committee to hold a judicial inquiry in affairs of HDCA through a high court judge. He said that it was strange enough that in spite of presence of president a vice president has been looking after affairs of HDCA since last 3-years. He said that petition of HDCA is not maintainable and prayers is also out of context as Karachi City Cricket Association which was refereed by petitioner is wholly misconceived as prayer of KCCA is made in a suit while HDCA has filed a constitutional petition with a limited scope, therefore, it cannot be granted relief by honourable court and is liable to be dismissed in limine.

The intervener prayed the court to call Deputy Commissioner, Commissioner and officers of Excise and Taxation Department to enquire about conduct of petitioner and ask about accounts of tickets, sold during the matches.

He maintained that President of Pakistan is the patron of PCB who had issued the notification, superseding the PCB and appointing an ad-hoc set-up but neither president nor Government of Pakistan was impleaded by HDCA which is a lacunae and cannot be cured in their absence. He said if interim injunctions order, granted by the court earlier is not vacated and this application for intervener is not allowed he shall be seriously prejudiced and sustain irreparable loss.