May 17, 2002	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 4, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, May 16: Justice Mian Mohammad Jehangir of the Lahore High Court (Rawalpindi Bench) has ordered that both petitions filed by Jawad Group against the election of Islamabad Cricket Association (ICA) be clubbed together.

Rizvi Group scored an impressive victory in the May 2 elections but Mohammad Yousaf of the defeated Jawad Group, had filed a petition in the LHC which barred the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) from officially declaring the election results.

Dr. Babar Awan, contending before the court on behalf of a number of cricket clubs, took exception of successive petitions being filed by the defeated group.

He said that if this exercise was permitted, every disgruntled and frustrated individual would file a new petition every now and then.

Dr. Awan submitted to the court that through the injunctive order cricket in the federal capital had been suffering. “The injunctive order should be lifted and the newly elected body headed by Ishaq Bhatti, Irfan Manzoor and Hassan Asghar be allowed to function,” he said in his arguments before Justice Jehangir.

Justice Jehangir ordered that both petitions, one filed by Yousuf and the other by Khawaja Mohammad Mustafa, Zahid Mehmood and Ch. Abdul Ghaffar, set for a final hearing on completion of replies and acceptance of notices, for May 21.

Advocate Asghar Haider represented the PCB while Naeem Bokhari and Zulfikar Naqvi represented the petitioners.