Pakistan court dismisses cricketer Mohammad Rizwan's plea against cybercrime agency

A Pakistani court on Thursday dismissed a petition by national cricket team wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan challenging summons issued by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

The court directed him to respond to a show-cause notice and appear before the agency in person.

Why did Rizwan challenge the NCCIA summons?

Rizwan approached the Lahore High Court after being summoned by the NCCIA in connection with the national team's recent tour of England.

He appeared at the agency's Lahore office last week and was questioned about matters relating to the tour, before filing a petition disputing the nature of the investigation and the agency's jurisdiction.

What did Rizwan's lawyer argue in court?

Rizwan's lawyer, Umair Qazi, argued that the NCCIA had issued unlawful summons and said that good and poor performances were part of sport. Qazi told the court that Rizwan had submitted a written response to the allegations through his lawyer, but the agency rejected it and issued fresh summons.

Qazi argued that the NCCIA did not have the legal authority to reject the response and summon Rizwan again, and asked the court to declare the notices void. Rizwan did not appear in court himself and was represented by Qazi throughout the hearing.

What did the Lahore High Court rule?

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum dismissed the petition as inadmissible. She directed Rizwan to respond to the show-cause notice and appear before the NCCIA in person, and criticized what she described as the concealment of facts.

The chief justice told the petitioner's lawyer that Rizwan should face a heavy fine over it.

Is any other Pakistan cricketer under NCCIA investigation?

The NCCIA had also summoned Pakistan batter Imam-ul-Haq following the team's recent England tour, during which Pakistan lost the three-match Test series 3-0. Both players appeared before the agency in Lahore and were questioned. Reports have differed on the precise scope of the inquiry, with some linking it to online betting and gambling and others describing it more broadly as an investigation related to events surrounding the tour.

Rizwan has challenged the basis of the inquiry and the agency's jurisdiction, and the court's dismissal of his petition does not establish any wrongdoing by the cricketer. The ruling allows the NCCIA proceedings to continue, with Rizwan required to respond to the show-cause notice and appear before the agency as directed by the court.