PCB Chief Zaka Ashraf Calls Emergency Meeting to ‘Save Chair’

In a desperate attempt to save his chair, head of the Pakistan Cricket Board management committee has called an emergency meeting on Sunday on the eve of his hearing in Lahore High Court.

Zaka, who was appointed in June by the previous government to hold elections of affiliated units, has moved the High Court to obtain a stay order against any decision by the government and election commission of Pakistan to remove him.

Although the PCB has made no official announcement about the meeting, insiders say all the CMC members were called and told about the meeting.

The interesting part is that the meeting has been called in Karachi one day before the Lahore High Court hearing at which the PCB has assured the judge they would submit an election schedule for the post of chairman.

The caveat is that even if the CMC forms a Board of Governors on Sunday it has to be ratified by the ministry of sports and also by the election commissioner and secondly only the patron in chief (sitting Prime Minister) can nominate two candidates for the BOG which has to elect one of them as chairman.

“I don’t understand what this set-up is doing because even if a BOG is announced on Sunday to tell the court legally there are so many lacunas still to be resolved,” former chairman Khalid Mahmood said.

More problems have arisen as at least two members of the CMC have informed the secretary to the chairman in the board that they would not attend the meeting as they do not agree with the way it is being convened.

Zaka Ashraf finds himself in the unusual position of perhaps becoming the third chairman since last December to be removed from the board.

The reason is that the ministry of sports recently wrote a note to the principal secretary of the PM pointing out that the election commission wanted all those heads of institutions removed who were appointed on political basis with Zaka mentioned as a front runner.

Insiders say that Zaka Ashraf might get the newly formed BOG to elect him as chairman which Mahmood said would only create more chaos in Pakistan cricket and cause it embarrassment internationally.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)