After a lot of controversies, it is finally a chance for Chaudhry Muhammad Zaka Ashraf to honor the position of Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board for the next few periods. Najam Sethi, the last Chairman, has effectively stepped down as the head of the PCB. He has decided to pull himself out of the contest to become the next PCB chairman. Sethi was leading an interim management committee that had been continuing the board since last December but whose tenure was due to end on the upcoming 21st June. So, Zaka Ashraf, a cricket executive of Pakistan, is almost ready to take the charges earlier.
Najim Sethi about Zaka Ashraf:
Zaka Ashraf is set as the next Chairman of the PCB after being nominated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the board’s board of governors. Sethi has withdrawn from the race to be the PCB chairman for another term. Sethi recently faced a lot of criticism and controversies for his lack of ability to take wise steps regarding hosting the 2023 Asia Cup and Pakistan’s participation in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. He also thinks the political differences between the ruling main parties over the appointment will be a factor this time. In a late-night Tweet, Najim Sethi confirmed his exit. Sethi tweeted, “I don’t want to be a bone of contention between Asif Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif.” He added, “Such instability and uncertainty is not good for PCB. Under the circumstances, I am not a candidate for the Chairmanship of PCB. Good luck to all stakeholders.”
Speaking about Ashraf, Sethi said that Ashraf and Sethi have a strong past relating to the PCB chairs since the duo was also engaged in a lengthy legal process during 2013-14. According to the sources, there were differences between the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz over the appointment of the PCB chairperson. While Sethi edged Ashraf in the year 2022, he could not do so in 2023.
However, Pakistan Federal Minister Mr. Ehsan Mazari confirmed Ashraf’s appointment for the next PCB chairman’s seat. Mazari also said that Sethi was assigned for only 4 months to conduct elections for the PCB chairperson post and reinstate the 2014 constitution at the request of the board’s patron and PM Sharif. According to reports, now, the party’s senior leadership wants Ashraf to be seated in the chair, who presided over the PCB during the last PPP administration.
Zaka Ashraf:
Zaka Ashraf was appointed as the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board for the first time on 15th October 2011 by the President of Pakistan. He took charge on 27th October 2011. On 28th May 2013, the Islamabad High Court restricted Ashraf from working as PCB Chairman. There was a petition against him that the election of Zaka as the former coach of the Pakistan Cricket team un-parliamentarily did the Chairman. Moreover, the High Court barred him from performing his functions because the process of his election was not legally transparent. On 24th June 2013, the case got adjourned till further notice.
Therefore, the Islamabad High Court reinstated Zaka Ashraf as Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board on 15th January 2014. The decision to reinstate Ashraf was taken by a 2-member division bench consisting of Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan and Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi. The court considered the intra-court appeal against the decision by a single-member bench of the High Court consisting of Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui. On 19th July 2013, the Islamabad High Court declared the appointment of Ashraf was illegal and directed the acting PCB chief Najam Sethi to hold elections within the span of 90 days.
After 9 years, Ashraf will return as the PCB chairman. In the legal dispute in 2013-14, Nawaz Sharif won the contest and brought in Sethi as PCB chief. But the scene changed in 2023 with Sethi forced to make space for Ashraf. However, the immediate task for the new PCB chairman is to handle the complications involving Pakistan’s participation in the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2023, scheduled to be hosted in India.
Conclusion:
Moreover, apart from Zaka’s inclusion, Pakistan Supreme Court’s advocate Mustafa Ramday also has been assigned an essential role in the Pakistan Cricket Board. As per the new law, the newly added members will be a part of a 10-member Board of Governors. They will be able to choose the council’s new Chairman, given that Ashraf has a huge backup from the leading party and a lot of impact. So, positively, he is expected to be the next PCB chairman
