ISLAMABAD, March 15: Lahore High Court (Rawalpindi Bench) Friday dismissed a writ petition filed by sacked Islamabad Cricket Association (ICA) and upheld Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to impose ad-hoc committee to run cricket affairs in the capital.

In a historic judgement handed down by Justice Ali Nawaz Chohan, the court restored all powers of the ICA ad hoc committee headed by Syed Mansoor Ahmed, and held that the dismissed ICA mismanaged cricket affairs in the federal capital.

The court, however, authorized and empowered the apex cricket controlling body— PCB- - to hold fresh elections in Islamabad under its supervision within seven weeks, thus, ruling out any chance to manipulator, self-interest serving lot to capture ICA. The court observed that the illegal ICA could not be restored as it mismanaged cricket affairs in the city. The judgment also says that ad-hoc committee should not be allowed to continue indefinitely and asked the PCB to hold free and fresh elections.

The self-arrangement made by the sacked ICA on Dec 14, 1999 is now understood to have no legal effect, thus, the entire period of Dec 14, 199 to Oct 26, 2000 has been declared null and void with no legal implications in any form.

The PCB imposed ad-hoc body in Islamabad after holding that gross violations of its instructions were committed by self-imposing rule of a coterie of people, who tried to capture ICA by illegal means and that too on the night when Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia was appointed PCB Chairman and he was to take the charge on the following day. Representing the PCB, senior advocate Asghar Haider argued that the elections of the ICA, held in Dec. 14, 1999 were illegal and be declared null and void.

He said that these elections were held in complete defiance of the PCB directives.

Meanwhile, all decisions taken by the ICA ad hoc committee since its formation in Oct 26, 2000 were given legal cover.

The ICA ad hoc committee took several steps to streamline and promote cricket, besides making an end to victimization of clubs. The detailed ruling of the decision is expected in next couple of days.—APP