Lahore HC adjourns hearing in spot-fixing case

The Lahore High Court adjourned a hearing into the spot-fixing allegations against Pakistani cricketers until September 22 after PCB chairman and the players failed to appear before the court on Tuesday.

Pakistan Cricket Board legal advisor, Talib Rizvi said since its chairman Ejaz Butt and the players were in England they couldn't appear in person and he represented the board.

"The deputy attorney-general appeared in court on behalf of the ministry of sports and informed the court that since the cricket board was an independent body the ministry couldn't interfere directly in its matters," Rizvi said.

The LHC has summoned the PCB chief, players and ministry of sports officials to hear a petition calling for the players alleged to be involved in spot-fixing to face treason charges.

Lawyer Ishtiaq Ahmed filed the petition in the High Court last week to initiate treason proceedings against players who are being investigated for alleged spot fixing on the current tour of England.

Since then the International Cricket Council has already suspended the three suspected players -- Test captain Salman Butt and pace bowlers Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Aamir.

Ishtiaq on Thursday pressed the court to issue a notice to Ejaz Butt but judge Khawaja Sharif declined pointing out that since the ministry of sports had submitted its arguments he (Ishtiaq) should study it and submit his remarks at the next hearing.

Ishtiaq has maintained that he wanted to see the players banned and their assets seized as they had brought a bad name to the country and the image of the sport.