LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday issued notices to three officers of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on a petition filed by Bin Zayed Group of UAE, a group headed by Shaikh Khalid Al-Nahyan and Al-Haj Group of Companies, seeking action for not entertaining its bid on Pakistan Super League’s sixth franchise.
In-charge of PSL bidding process Badar Manzoor, Marketing Director Naila Bhatti and Talent Acquisition Head Faisal Mirza have been cited as respondents in the contempt of court petition heard by Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza.
Representing the Bin Zayed Group, Barrister Ahmad Qayum argued that the court had directed the PCB to entertain bid of the petitioner but the board officials refused to allow the higher bid of the petitioner to be opened and the sixth franchise team of the PSL was sold for USD 41.6 million to Schon Group of Companies for eight years.
The counsel said that Bin Zayed Group (petitioner) had been offering USD 42.4 million for the said franchise. He said the petitioner was illegally denied bidding for the sixth team of PSL by the respondents. He said the respondents committed contempt of court by failing to entertain bid of the petitioner.
PCB counsel, present in the court, sought time to file reply to the contempt and the main writ petition.
Justice Mirza adjourned hearing till June 12 and clarified that as per earlier order the entire bid process and subsequent steps were subject to the decision of the petition in hand.
The judge in his previous judgement had provisionally allowed the petitioner to submit the bid which shall be entertained by the respondents. “The fate of the bid shall be subject to the final outcome of this petition,†the order said.