LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday stayed the proceedings of a civil suit of Pakistan Television against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) seeking directions to bar the latter from entering into a contract with any other entity in violation of an agreement reached with PTV-Sports for Space Licensing on Satellite Beam.

Last week, a civil judge Tallat Mahmood had restrained the PCB from entering into a contract with any other entity.

The counsel for PCB argued before LHC that it was the mandatory provision of the agreement between PTV and PCB that in case of termination of agreement about rights of broadcasting cricket matches, the matter would be referred to an arbitrator but the PTV approached the civil court in violation of the agreement. The PCB counsel pointed out that the civil court had unjustifiably rejected his application to stay the proceedings.

Justice Rasal Hassan Syed heard the initial arguments and issued a stay order, barring the civil court from hearing the case.

PTV has filed a suit in the civil court against the PCB seeking Rs2 billion in damages for terminating the cricket matches broadcasting rights agreement.

Barrister Ahmad Pansota, on behalf of the national television broadcaster, had contended before the court that the plaintiff reached an agreement with the defendant for the period from September 2020 till June 2023.

He said the agreement was to produce or have independently produced at internationally acceptable quality defendant’s content and for the territory of Pakistan.

However, he said, the defendant on Nov 5, 2021 suspended the agreement on the basis till the digital Pakistan policy was fully implemented.