LHC issues contempt notice to Saleh Hayat

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday issued a contempt notice to the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) and its president Faisal Saleh Hayat for flaunting a stay order against holding presidential elections.

The notice was issued over a petition filed by Arshad Khan Lodhi which stated that the federation had committed contempt of court by electing Hayat as its president. It requested the court to initiate contempt proceedings against the PFF and its new president.

A PFF faction, headed by Arshad Lodhi, had earlier suspended Hayat from the president office, accusing him of embezzling the federation’s funds. Lodhi was nominated as interim president and on June 30, he obtained a stay from the court against the election of a new president.

“Defying court orders, Hayat called the election on July 1 and was elected president. Therefore, contempt of court proceedings should be initiated against him and the election should be declared null and void,” Lodhi said in his petition.

However, Hayat told the bench that he did not receive the court’s order and was not party in the football federation case.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2015.