Former Pakistan captain Salim Malik has been granted an interim stay against a life ban for match-fixing by a Pakistani court.  His lawyer has filed  a suit before civil Judge Abdul Qayyum last week seeking a permanent injunction against a life ban on playing cricket and a fine of Rs 1 million ($16,700) imposed in July, Shahid Hamid said.

The court heard the case on Thursday and granted an “interim stay” until December 7, Hamid, a former governor of the Pakistani province of Punjab, said.He said the court would issue notices to Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia and the Board’s former director of operations Yawar Saeed to submit their comments through a lawyer.

Malik, 37, and paceman Ataur Rehman were banned for life following Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum’s report on match-fixing released in May. The PCB had earlier rejected Salim Malik’s plea against the penalties.

“The whole object is to overturn this penalty. Naturally we are hopeful,” Hamid said. Salim Malik’s name also featured among nine foreign players allegedly involved in match-fixing and betting in an Indian probe released earlier this month .