MAHI, ACB in dispute over 3 years old contract

KABUL Cricket Board (ACB) are locked in a dispute over a delay in payments under a contract they signed three years ago.

In line with the contract inked in 2017, the MAIH Group availed the rights of tickets purchase for the local Shpagiza T20 League and providing other services. 

The then ACB Head Atif Mashal and head of the MAIH Group Ziaurrahman Zia signed the contract.  Other officials, including ACB operational head were present during the signing ceremony of the contract. 

The ACB than announced that Shpagiza tickets purchase and other services contract awarded to the MAIH Group at the cost of over 7.2 million Afghanis

In line with the contract, the company should open quality ticket purchase booths for cricket lovers on the bases of improved system and should provide food to 250 persons in Kabul Cricket Stadium. 

Pajhwok Afghan News received a copy of the contract according to which the contract holder was bound to pay 30 percent of the amount to the ACB till September 12, 2017, another 30 percent till 18 September, 2017 and the remaining 40 percent till 24 September to the cricket board. 

But the ACB media office told Pajhwok Afghan News that the MAIH Group still owed $95,000 to the board from the contract it singed with the company in 2017.

The source said that ACB often informed the company regarding the payment of the remaining amount and wrote formal letters, but the company did not made the payment. 

But MAIH Group Head Ziaurrahman Zia said the ACB was responsible for the security of Shpagiza League which it failed to provide security. 

He said a suicide attack took place in front of ACB during the Shpagiza League in which a number of people were killed. 

He said the attack totally disturb all arrangement and left negative impact on the tournament, adding the remaining games were not postponed and played as per scheduled. 

 Zia said that he consulted with the ACB leadership and they mutually agreed to stop the ticket purchase process and allow free entry of viewers to the ground. 

This decision proved effective and a large number of people visited the ground and watched live matches. 

He said the company was bound to make complete payment to the ACB provided that the board should have made full prove security.

“We also failed to sell all tickets on the bases of contract to enable us to make complete payment to the ACB,” he said.

It is mentioned in the second page of the contract that in case Shpagiza League is disturbed by security issues, the company is not bound to make payment to the board.

This clause, however, referred to the complete cancelation of the tournament not partial.

Zia said that the contract also says: “In case any game of the Shpagiza League is affected by security issues the problem shall be resolved through the mutual understanding of both sides.”

He said the ACB surfaced the issue after two years due to the lack of understanding of the legal aspect of the contract. 

The ACB said tickets were not sold on two days during the league and the bomb blast happened on the third or fourth day of the tournament. 

The ACB, however, did not say anything regarding the tickets price, but Pajhwok learned that the company sold tickets for 100 or 200 Afghanis. 

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