ISLAMABAD  -   Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Legal Advisor Taffazul Haider Rizvi has confirmed that honourable Lahore High Court Justice Muzammil Akhtar Shabbir has refused to grant stay on writ petition filed by suspended PCB BoG member Nauman Butt through his counsel.

Talking to The Nation, Taffazul, who is also an advocate at Supreme Court of Pakistan, said: “Nauman Butt filed another writ petition before the LHC and sought stay order against his suspension from BoG but the court has rejected his plea.

“Interestingly, Nauman is challenging the same constitution under which he has been elected as BoG member but now he is refusing to abide by the same constitution. A member complaint is received by the chairman, an independent adjudicator Justice (r) Fazal Miran Chohan, where Nauman is appearing through his counsel, but surpassingly, he is filling successive writ petitions in the LHC and there is no such law, that’s why he is not getting any relief,” he added.

Taffazul said: “Nauman Butt must realise that the only way forward for him is to appear before the independent adjudicator, who is former judge of Lahore High Court. He had raised some points regarding the dual nationality of Managing Director Waseem Khan. Under the PCB constitution, there is no such bar on holding offices in the board for dual nationals.

“There is absolutely no bar on foreign nationals for holding office in the PCB, if there was any bar regarding dual nationality or foreign nationality, then foreign coaches would have never worked with PCB. Even some former Test cricketers, who have dual nationalities, are working with the PCB,” he added.

Taffazul said: “As far as the MD’s appointment is concerned, Nauman Butt, during the 53rd PCB Board of Governors meeting in Quetta, brought a piece of paper, which was never put before the meeting. They were calling it a resolution, but it was never put before the board. It was neither tabled nor carried or rejected. It was just a piece of paper and may be they don’t know for a resolution, they have to put it forward.

“But unfortunately, they left the meeting and boycotted the proceedings. There wasn’t enough quorum, that’s why the meeting has to be adjourned. As far as the MD is concerned, he stands duly appointed and there is no question regarding his working with the PCB. The last board meeting held in Quetta wasn’t the first meeting, attended by the MD, as he was present in the previous board meetings as well. So it was incorrect to say that it was first time the MD was attending the meeting.

“Nauman Butt was earlier refused stay by Justice Risal Syed and notices were issued on his stay application, but no stay was granted to Nauman Butt,” Taffazul concluded.