IHC suspends order for disclosure of cricketers’ salaries, perks

The Islamabad High Court has temporarily halted a Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) directive that required the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to release its annual financial reports, audit records, remuneration details of national players, members of the selection committee, and expenditure related to the T20 World Cup 2026. A single-justice panel, led by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, issued notices for September 22, 2026, after taking up a case filed by the PCB through Advocate Kashif Ali Malik.

The court temporarily halted the PIC’s July 9 ruling pending further proceedings. The PCB argued that the PIC’s order exceeded its jurisdiction and violated the Right to Information Act of 2017. They maintained that the Commission had failed to differentiate between information that must be publicly disclosed under Section 5 of the act and information protected under statutory exemptions such as personal privacy, confidential contractual arrangements, commercially sensitive data, and third-party interests.

The PCB, primarily funded through commercial activities, claimed that the information requested extended beyond institutional expenditure to include personal financial details of identifiable individuals, without acknowledging the difference between institutional transparency and private financial matters. The PCB has been under scrutiny for financial transparency, with Chairman Mohsin Naqvi discontinuing the practice of posting detailed financial statements on the PCB's website since his appointment in 2024, following criticism from transparency advocates.

The Assistant Attorney General of Pakistan, Asif Khan Jadoon, also participated in the court hearing. The court permitted the PCB's request for an exemption, subject to all legal justifications. The case has been postponed until September 22, 2026.