Islamabad (Web Desk): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday temporarily halted the implementation of a Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) order that required the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to disclose financial information related to national cricketers, including their salaries, match fees, central contracts, allowances, budget allocations and other monetary benefits, until further proceedings.
IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar passed the interim order while hearing petitions filed by the PCB against the Pakistan Information Commission’s July 9 ruling issued under the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017.
During the hearing, the court issued notices to the Pakistan Information Commission and respondent Kashif Shehzad Awan, directing them to submit their responses before the next hearing.
Appearing on behalf of the PCB, Advocate Kashif Malik argued that the requested information was not confined to the board’s institutional spending but also covered the private financial details of individual players and confidential contractual arrangements.
He maintained that making such information public would violate privacy and expose commercially sensitive agreements.
After considering the initial arguments, the court suspended the PIC’s order until the next hearing and adjourned the case.
According to the petitions, the first case challenges the Pakistan Information Commission’s July 9 directive requiring the PCB to publish its annual budgets for the financial years 2023 to 2025, detailed expenditure records, information about players and officials who travelled for this year’s T20 World Cup, as well as the board’s audit reports and oversight mechanisms.
The second petition concerns information related to Pakistan’s One Day International series against South Africa held at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad in November 2025. In that order, the PIC instructed the PCB to disclose revenue and expenditure details for the series and provide information on measures taken or planned to upgrade Iqbal Stadium ahead of Pakistan Super League Season 12.
The PCB argued that it functions in a competitive international sports environment and, unlike government departments financed through the national exchequer, does not receive funding from the federal government or the Consolidated Fund.
Instead, it generates income through commercial sources such as broadcasting rights, sponsorship deals, media rights, ticket sales, licensing agreements, international cricket events and revenue distributions from the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The board further contended that the PIC incorrectly treated all requested information as subject to disclosure under Section 5 of the Right of Access to Information Act, while overlooking the exemptions provided under Section 16, which protect personal privacy, confidential contracts, commercially sensitive material and third-party interests.
The petitions also argued that the requested records extend beyond institutional transparency and include confidential contractual terms and private financial information of identifiable individuals.
The PCB maintained that releasing such details would harm its commercial position, weaken future contractual negotiations and compromise the privacy rights of players and other third parties.
Seeking interim relief, the PCB submitted that once confidential financial and contractual information becomes public, the resulting damage to its commercial interests, contractual relationships and the privacy of those involved cannot be undone.