Pak SC summons attorney general to explain ban on Malik

Lahore, Feb 3 (UNI) The Supreme Court of Pakistan has summoned the country's Attorney General to appear before it in the first week of March and explain the validity of the PCB's lifeban on cricketer Salim Malik for his involvement in match-fixing.

The three-member bench -- comprising the chief justice and two other judges -- questioned the stringent ban, which bars the former captain from playing cricket anywhere in the world.

The court has asked the attorney general to also present before it the ICC rules on match fixing during the next hearing, the 'Daily Times' reported.

Earlier, Pakistan Cricket Board's legal adviser Taffazul H Rizvi on being asked to explain the ban had said that as a member of the ICC, the PCB had to abide by the governing body's rules.

Mr Rizvi had cited the Qayuum inquiry into match-fixing and had contended that the ban was imposed after Malik was found guilty in the investgations and it was legal as the ICC had approved it.

However, the PCB counsel could not present any example when asked about any previous instance in which a cricketer had been banned from the game altogether. The court pointed out that Malik had been denied the right to appeal against his punsihment and asked Mr Rizvi as to why such a tough punishment had been handed to the former cricketer.

The bench said the PCB had the right to ban Malik from playing for Pakistan but asked the reasons for denying him a chance to play anywhere else in the world.

The chief justice said merely a recommendation was not enough to ban Malik.

UNI