Cash award to Pak team criticised

Lahore: A lawyer has asked a Pakistani court to direct authorities to take action against Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for announcing a cash prize of Rs 500,000 for each member of the national cricket team players from the public exchequer.

Javed Iqbal Jaffrey filed a petition in the Lahore High Court yesterday asking it to restrain Sharif from "misusing public money".

He said Sharif should give such prizes to players from his own funds as he had no right to waste public money.

Another petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court seeking action against Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt, captain Shahid Afridi and players Misbahul Haq, Umar Akmal and Karman Akmal for their role in alleged match-fixing in the World Cup.