LAHORE: While the Lahore High Court on Thursday restored Shah Dost Rashid as president of Quetta region cricket association and member of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s Board of Governors, it also referred back his case to PCB’s independent adjudicator to hear the case giving the petitioner proper opportunity to defend himself.

Dost’s lawyer Shaigan Ijaz told Dawn that Justice Mazahir Naqvi held that as his petitioner was not heard by PCB’s adjudicator before suspending him from both the above-mentioned positions, he (Dost) was restored, and asked the adjudicator to hear the petitioner.

Shaigan contended before the learned judge that his petitioner was victimised for his differences developed with PCB chairman Ehsan Mani during the last BoG meeting held in Quetta on April 17.

In reaction, the lawyer added, his client was removed unlawfully as president of Quetta region’s association and member of the BoG. “My client cannot be removed until he completes his tenure.”

Meanwhile, PCB lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi said according to the decision Dost had been restored for the time being as now the PCB adjudicator would hear the petitioner to give his verdict. Till that time, he added, there would be no further hearing at the LHC.

Tafazzul claimed Dost was summoned by the PCB adjudicator but he did not appear.

Meanwhile, Dost said differences on any agenda of a meeting could not be termed as revolt.

“If we give approval to the decision it is also our right to differ with any point,” Dost maintained.

Dost further said that his struggle was aimed at saving the jobs of thousands of cricketers across the country. “PCB’s proposed plan of restructuring of the domestic game with no departmental teams will leave many cricketers jobless,” he said.

In another hasty decision, the PCB has also issued the schedule for fresh elections in Quetta Region. However, Dost moved the LHC and on Thursday succeeded in taking a decision in his favour.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2019