Lahore, March 30: Pakistan's 'Rawalpindi Express' bowler Shoaib Akhtar has filed a petition before the Lahore High Court seeking removal of the 18-month ban imposed on him by Pakistan Cricket Board on charge of hitting a fellow cricketer during the South Africa tour in 2007.
The High Court chief justice has fixed April 16 for hearing ofthe petition.
The Pakistan Cricket Board had imposed an 18-month ban and a fine of Rs 70 lakhs on him in 2007.
Shoaib Akhtar has filed an application for the early hearing of his petition.
Shoaib's counsel said the petition was pending for adjudication since 2008. He requested the chief justice to fix the petition for an early hearing. The Chief Justice accepted the application and directed the registrar's office to fix the petition for April 16.
On July 4, 2008, an Lahore High Court bench had suspended the ban imposed by the PCB and allowed Akhtar to play cricket.
The court had ruled that the 32-year-old cricketer should be allowed to play until his appeal against the ban was heard.
A PCB disciplinary committee had first banned Shoaib Akhtar for five years in April 2008 for several incidents of indiscipline and violating the terms of a two-year probation imposed for hitting team-mate Mohammad Asif with a bat.
However, an appellate committee had later reduced the suspension to 18 months and imposed a fine of Rs 70 lakhs.
