LAHORE: Former Lahore High Court Justice (retd) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan has found suspended member of the Board of Governor Nauman Butt guilty of violating his undertaking and Code of Ethics for BoG Members and have imposed three years ban on him for holding any office with any affiliated unit of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The decision was quite expected as Nauman, along with other five BoG members, had raised their voice against some policies of the PCB in a meeting of the BoG held in Quetta last year. Though the other BoG members compromised with the PCB later on and went back on their stance against the policies, Nauman alone fought his case but eventually met his fate.

Expecting such a decision against him, Nauman moved the Lahore High Court early this month, praying the honourable court to stop Justice Chauhan from taking the harsh decision. However, the LHC rejected his petition, asking him to first fight his case before the above mentioned forum.

Meanwhile, the PCB in a press release stated: “In his 24-page judgement, Justice (retd) Chauhan, who was the Independent Adjudicator, wrote: “The complainant (Asad Ali Khan, BoG member) and the PCB have succeeded in proving/establishing that on April 17, 2019, the respondent (Nauman Butt) had violated the Code of Ethics applicable to the Members of the BoG, PCB.

“He disrupted the 53rd BoG meeting and did not allow the BoG to proceed with its agenda for that meeting. It is established on record that holding a press conference by the respondent, otherwise, is also in violation of the undertaking given under Para 18 of the PCB Constitution and Para 5.1 of the Model Constitution of the Regional Cricket Association.

“The Respondent also violated the by-laws of the PCB by showing confidential documents to the media. He is found to have violated the Constitution, Rules (Code of Ethics), undertaking … and … shall be deemed to be immediately disqualified and ceased to be an office-bearer/member of the Association. He is also barred for three years from contesting elections or becoming a member, office-bearer of any association, club, organization, managed, monitored, controlled or affiliated to the Board.”

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2020