[Report] Broadsheet LLC Threatens to Seize Pakistan Cricket Team’s Assets During England Tour

[MenInG]

In a surprising development, Broadsheet LLC has threatened to seize assets of the Pakistan cricket team in the UK, following non-payment from the state of Pakistan and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The company deems the cricket team the country’s asset and has threatened to enforce the warning if the defendants don’t respond.

According to the details, Broadsheet LLC won an arbitration case against Pakistan and NAB, which owe the company a sum of $33 million. The company has already sought court orders instructing professional bailiffs ‘to seize the assets of the Pakistani cricket team’.

Their action that is set to commence in two days can make it an embarrassing tour for Pakistan as they are next to play a 3-match Test series followed by a T20I series. The reason behind this, as per their letter sent to Islamabad’s counsel, Allen & Overy, Broadsheet has said that not only the losing party has failed to award the money, they have also refused to respond to their messages.

The Pakistan cricket team is currently in the UK preparing for a Test series against England. We consider that the team is, by the very nature, an asset of the defendant and that monies due to the team and assets of the team are assets of the defendant to the litigation.

The other assets Broadsheet LLC has been considering to seize are Roosevelt Hotel in New York, Avenfield apartments, and Pakistan High Commission building and high commissioner’s house in London.

Pakistan lost the case in July last year after the London High Court dismissed NAB’s plea to review the award decision. NAB had hired Broadsheet LLC in former President, Pervez Musharraf’s tenure to investigate hidden assets of 150 Pakistanis abroad including the Sharif family. NAB later terminated the agreement in 2003 and thus owed damages to the company.

https://propakistani.pk/2020/07/27/...stan-cricket-teams-assets-during-england-tour

 

[Forum363]

Can you imagine if they abducted Hafeez as Pakistan’s greatest asset?

 

[Cryin Out Loud]

You know it isn't Pakistan cricket unless something happens in real that you would earlier have dismissed as surreal fantasy.

I mean the who, the who, the what?

 

[gazza619]

How stupid. What will they fetch by the cricket team’s gear? £10k may be? Why would they go for the cricket team’s assets..

Broadsheet LLC is acting like a clown.

 

[Varun]

Never a dull moment with Pakistan cricket.

 

[Titan24]

I am pretty sure there are legal ways to get your money rather than giving warning to seize assets of a country's touring team. Its a pretty childish way to deal with the things. I dont think there is any such precedent that if a country's institution owes money to another countries institution they are gonna seize assets of visiting sports teams.

To be honest any such step would allow PCB to sue Broadsheet LLC as PCB has nothing to do with NAB and Broadsheet's affair.

 

[Forum363]

I am pretty sure there are legal ways to get your money rather than giving warning to seize assets of a country's touring team. Its a pretty childish way to deal with the things. I dont think there is any such precedent that if a country's institution owes money to another countries institution they are gonna seize assets of visiting sports teams.

To be honest any such step would allow PCB to sue Broadsheet LLC as PCB has nothing to do with NAB and Broadsheet's affair.

Can you imagine what would happen. With the series called off, the ECB would probably lose ten times the money owed. They would be furious.

 

[Titan24]

Never a dull moment with Pakistan cricket.

To be honest in last month or so ECB has taken that spot to entertain. Archer popping the bio-secure bubble and now Broadsheet wanting to seize the assets of a national team. I mean seriously

 

[Titan24]

Can you imagine what would happen. With the series called off, the ECB would probably lose ten times the money owed. They would be furious.

Exactly.

 

[princeuk]

It must be another England tour that we have another controversy brewing, just this early on I wasnt expecting it

 

[coy0607]

English tour always added offer drama off the pitch.

But seriously, what are they going to seize? Bats, players kits?

I like the idea of handing over Hafeez - the rarest of assets

 

[Forum363]

English tour always added offer drama off the pitch.

But seriously, what are they going to seize? Bats, players kits?

I like the idea of handing over Hafeez - the rarest of assets

He’s passed the bowling tests, he’s passed the Covid tests, I’m sure he’ll get through the Broadsheet tests too. And come back in time for the T20 World Cup.

 

[Savak]

Doubt something like this can happen in the West, these are third world tactics.

 

[MenInG]

Unlikely anything will come of it!

 

[Majid Khan]

Can you imagine if they abducted Hafeez as Pakistan’s greatest asset?

Well to be technically correct, he’s also international cricket’s most valuable asset so I’m sure the ECB / MCC / Wisden / ICC would all step in if this asset was about to be seized.

 

[Kaddy]

Can you imagine if they abducted Hafeez as Pakistan’s greatest asset?

A scary idea......
I think now government of Pakistan needs to interfere as we can't afford losing Hafeez. We badly need him for 2023 & 2027 world cups as a senior pro, to guide the youngsters.

 

[Markhor]

Judging by Pakistan's batting in Derby, it look likes the bats have already been seized.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Hahahah. Well firstly how incompetent are NAB that they lost a case and then just decided not to pay the money lmao


And then these clowns threatening to seize team assets.
Even if they auctioned that stuff they wouldn't get much


And I'm not even sure if they even can seize all the gear legally. The bats, pads, gloves are a players' personal property. Probably did it to make the headlines, as a pressure tactic.

 

[coy0607]

I am pretty sure there are legal ways to get your money rather than giving warning to seize assets of a country's touring team. Its a pretty childish way to deal with the things. I dont think there is any such precedent that if a country's institution owes money to another countries institution they are gonna seize assets of visiting sports teams.

To be honest any such step would allow PCB to sue Broadsheet LLC as PCB has nothing to do with NAB and Broadsheet's affair.

It's fairly common, particularly with Chinese companies; Chinese company operating in Europe steal IP from a US competitor, US competitor successfully sues and wins case, but Chinese companies will never pay up because their assets in China are protected by the communist party. So the US company starts going after customers of the Chinese company to try and collect pennies (from accounts payable), but really to defame and put pressure on the Chinese company.

Broadsheet seem to be doing the exact same thing. Defame Pakistan to try and get a settlement

 

[Titan24]

It's fairly common, particularly with Chinese companies; Chinese company operating in Europe steal IP from a US competitor, US competitor successfully sues and wins case, but Chinese companies will never pay up because their assets in China are protected by the communist party. So the US company starts going after customers of the Chinese company to try and collect pennies (from accounts payable), but really to defame and put pressure on the Chinese company.

Broadsheet seem to be doing the exact same thing. Defame Pakistan to try and get a settlement

Customers of Chinese companies are related to the company, NAB and PCB are in no way related to each other. This statement is like US company saying that we will seize the assets of Chinese athletes or teams because some govt organization or Chinese companies owe us money. Again I stand by my statement that there is no such precedent to seize assets of a national sports team just because govt institution or organization owes them money.

Comparing customers of a company owning money and visiting national team of a country is a completely wrong analogy and no way related to each other on any level.

 

[Cricfan4eva]

What would they be able to seize exactly from a team on tour?

Kit bags? Pretty sure they can't seize anything personal to the players, since the case is against the 'PCT' managed by PCB and not the players themselves.

 

[Bewal Express]

Can they seize Malik and Hafeez, and hold them until its paid.

 

[JaDed]

You know it isn't Pakistan cricket unless something happens in real that you would earlier have dismissed as surreal fantasy.

I mean the who, the who, the what?

Exactly, somehow the weirdest issues happen to PCT.

 

[sweep_shot]

Not sure why Broadsheet LLC is looking to go after PCB. It is a matter between Pakistani government and Broadsheet.

Broadsheet is behaving unprofessionally here.

 

[The_Real_Deal]

Rumour has it that Hafeez has gone into hiding following reports that Broadsheet is after Pakistan’s greatest asset...

More to follow...

 

[MenInG]

The company that won the lawsuit against NAB in England has threatened to confiscate the equipment of Pakistan cricket team but Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rejected these reports and threats.

Broadsheet LLC, the company that won the lawsuit from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), had threatened to seize Pakistan Cricket’s assets in England.

The lawyer for Broadsheet LLC, the company that won the lawsuit against the NAB, said in a letter that Pakistan and the NAB had failed to pay more than $33 million in damages after losing the lawsuit. The cricket team’s assets have been ordered to be confiscated and the process will begin in two days.

In this regard, Pakistani lawyers were asked to respond to the letter immediately if they disagreed with the position, otherwise, the company would be justified in putting the threat into practice.

According to the reports, the PCB says they are in touch with the Pakistani embassy in England and confiscation of the equipment is unlikely to happen.

Pakistan Cricket Board says that the Pakistan team is a representative of the Pakistan Cricket Board and the board is an independent body rather than a government of Pakistan or the state, so it is responsible for paying damages in this matter.

It may be recalled that during the tenure of former President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, the professional services of Broadsheet LLC were obtained to trace the assets of 200 Pakistanis in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Interestingly, in all these operations, Asif Ali Zardari, Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif and Lt. Gen. Akbar were specifically targeted as 20% of the money received from the targets set under the agreement would be paid to the company. No evidence was found against them, and no money was recovered from the UK.

The agreement was signed by the National Accountability Office, which was cancelled in 2003, and the cancellation of the agreement caused controversy, after which the matter went to court and the International Arbitration Court ruled in favour of the British company.

The court had said in its judgment that NAB was bound to pay compensation to the company.

The letter was written by the Broadsheet Company to Allen & Overy because the company was representing the Government of Pakistan and the NAB in the lawsuit.

Reports stated that the Pakistan Cricket Board has nothing to do with the issue of mediation and recovery of damages of Broadsheet LLC and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the NAB.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Pakistan Cricket Board was established as a corporate body under the 1962 Ordinance which has special powers over the administration, management and promotion of the game of cricket in Pakistan.

The Pakistan Cricket Board operates under its constitution as an independent body which is independent of the jurisdiction of the government and generates its own revenue and does not receive any assistance from the provincial or federal government in this regard.

The Pakistan team is in England for a series of three Tests and three T20 matches and the series will start on August 5 with a Test match in Manchester.

https://www.bolnews.com/latest/2020...nfiscate-national-teams-equipment-in-england/