LAHORE: Cricketer Khalid Latif’s counsel has announced that he will challenge Lahore High Court’s (LHC) decision in favour of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Anti-corruption Tribunal before the Supreme Court.

He was talking to reporters after appearing before the tribunal on the order of the LHC.

The tribunal is hearing the spot-fixing case against four cricketers, including Khalid, which occurred in the last edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Dubai.

The attorney alleged that the PCB had hatched a conspiracy against the players and added that he would hopefully get justice from the Supreme Court.

He added that Khalid had never given any statement against Sharjeel Khan and it was the latter who took Khalid to meet a bookie.

He questioned why the PCB did not stop the players from meeting the bookie on July 6 when it had prior information about the meeting.

The lawyer alleged that the PCB facilitated the meeting with the bookie instead of taking action and stopping players.

He said the tribunal has handed over copies of all statements of the witnesses to him, which were recorded against Khalid in his absence.

The tribunal has asked to submit a reply over those statements in next 15 days.

The tribunal has fixed July 26 as the next date of hearing.

Meanwhile, PCB’s lawyer said it was Khalid’s right to move the Supreme Court and added that the PCB’s case was much stronger.

He said his opponent lawyer gave contradictory statements before the tribunal and the media.

The counsel informed media personnel that PCB Anti-corruption director retired Colonel Azam was in a hospital due to cardiac problems.

He said the players met with the bookie twice so their claim of accidental meetings with the bookie had no weight.

He further said both parties have agreed that they would submit their replies before the tribunal till July 26 after which tribunal would decide how next hearings would be held.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2017