ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday dismissed the Athletics Federation of Pakistan’s (AFP) plea seeking an injunction against the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) adjudicator, while directing the PSB Board to hear and decide the federation’s appeal strictly in accordance with the Board rules.
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir announced the verdict after hearing detailed arguments from both sides. The court subsequently disposed of the petition, effectively clearing the path for the PSB’s statutory process to move forward.
During the proceedings, PSB’s legal advisor Saif-ur-Rehman appeared before the court and apprised the bench that the Board was fully complying with earlier court directives. He informed the court that a meeting of the PSB Board has been convened on January 23, specifically to take up and consider the appeal filed by the AFP.
Taking note of the submission, the IHC directed the PSB Board to hear the appeal and arrive at a decision in line with its prescribed rules and regulations, underscoring the importance of due process and institutional autonomy.
It is pertinent to note that the AFP had approached the court seeking to have the PSB adjudicator’s decision declared null and void. The adjudicator, in his ruling, had issued clear instructions for the conduct of elections in the Athletics Federation of Pakistan, declaring reelections on key posts, a move that sparked the legal confrontation. With the dismissal of the injunction and the court’s clear directive, the matter now returns to the PSB Board’s domain, where a decisive hearing is expected on January 23.
