BHC stays issuing funds for BISL

KARACHI: Balochistan High Court (BHC) issued a stay order against the provincial government for issuing funds for Balochistan Squash League (BISL).

Chief Justice BHC Jamal Khan issued the order while hearing the constitution petition filed (under article 199) by Chairman Balochistan Squash Association Sher Ali Kakar and fixed the next hearing on November 10.

According to the order (CMA No. 2477/2020), “till the next date of hearing [November 10th] status quo is directed to be maintained in respect of the amount in question”. The petition was filed by Kakar against the government of Balochistan, Secretary Sports Department, Secretary Finance, Director General Sports Department, Director Anti-Corruption, President Balochistan Olympic Association, BISL Chairman Prince Agha Umer, and President BSA.

It is to be noted that the third edition of the $10,000 BISL Championship is scheduled in Quetta from November 24-28. The government of Balochistan intended to issue Rs20 million for the championship that is to be held on a full glass court (4 sided).

“This is a serious issue as the province does not have proper facilities of drinking water for its population yet the government is issuing 20 million rupees for a squash event,” said the petitioner while talking to ‘The News’.

He added that the government of Balochistan issued Rs10 million for the second edition of the league held in 2019. This championship was earlier scheduled at Serena Hotel, Quetta, from November 3-7 but got postponed because of the unavailability of the glass squash courts.

The glass court is owned by Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF). “They are charging around Rs2.6 million for the glass court for this championship,” said a source. It is to be noted that BISL was started in 2017.