• August 31, 2024
• Broadcasting
• Web Desk

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on August 29 directed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to resolve the ongoing dispute regarding media accreditation for the Test matches in Rawalpindi, following a petition filed by the Rawalpindi Islamabad Sports Journalists Association (RISJA).

Justice Babar Sattar, who presided over the hearing, questioned the PCB’s decision to deny accreditation to several journalists, many of whom have a longstanding history of covering international cricket events. The petitioners argued that the PCB’s refusal to grant accreditation for the Pakistan-Bangladesh series infringed on press freedom and appeared punitive in response to their critical reporting on the Pakistan cricket team’s recent performances.

Advocate Abdul Wahid Qureshi, representing the journalists, contended that the PCB’s actions amounted to censorship, violating the journalists’ constitutional rights. He highlighted that despite the journalists’ adherence to the necessary application procedures, their requests for accreditation were denied without formal explanation.

Advocate Qureshi highlighted that the journalists involved have a long history of covering major cricket events and have adhered to the necessary application procedures. Despite this, they have not received formal communication about their accreditation status and were only verbally informed that their applications were denied, allegedly due to their critical reports.

In response, PCB’s counsel, Taffazul Hussain Rizvi, informed the court that accreditation had been granted to 118 media personnel for the Rawalpindi Test, but 70 journalists, including the petitioners, were excluded due to limited capacity in the stadium’s media box. He asserted that the denial was not linked to the journalists’ critical coverage of the PCB but rather due to security clearance issues.

Justice Sattar expressed concern over how the accreditation process was handled, questioning who decided to allocate the 118 spots and why journalists with prior accreditation were now excluded. He emphasized the importance of a transparent and fair process, urging the PCB to resolve the matter internally.

Rizvi assured the court that the PCB would work towards a resolution and present a report on the issue. The court has adjourned the hearing until September 10 and directed the PCB to provide a detailed explanation of how it plans to address the journalists’ concerns.