No temporary relief for Younus

Lahore:

The appeals judge, hearing the appeals of six Pakistani cricketers against their bans and fines, has refused to give temporary relief to Younus Khan, saying he does not have the mandate to do so.

Younus had filed an application before Justice (retired) Irfan Qadir for getting interim relief against the indefinite ban imposed on him by the PCB enquiry committee.

"But the judge has said that he does not have the mandate to give temporary relief to any of the appellants and he can only give his final findings," Ahmed Qayyum, Younus' lawyer, said on Saturday after a hearing.

"I also told the judge that he should hold an enquiry into how the report of the enquiry committee was leaked out just before the hearing of Younus Khan's appeal.

"It is strange that the report and findings of the enquiry committee in which false allegations have been made against Younus was leaked out at a time when his hearing was due and the PCB is responsible for this blunder," he added.

Qayyum said that his client has also asked the appeals judge to conduct future hearings before the media.

"We have nothing to hide and we want the media to attend our hearings so that everything is public. The PCB has so far opposed this request," he said.

Justice Qadir has set May 15 as the next date of hearing of Younus' appeal and has also asked the legal representatives of Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved to appear on the same day.

Justice Qadir was nominated by the PCB to hear appeals of six cricketers, who were either banned or fined by the Board on the recommendations of the enquiry committee in March.

The seventh player, former captain Mohammad Yousuf, who is also banned indefinitely has announced his retirement from international cricket and did not file any appeal against the ban.