The Baluchistan High Court has intervened in the election process for the new Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), effectively putting a halt to the proceedings. The order was issued on Monday by Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Amir Nawaz, postponing the elections until July 17.
Shakil Shaikh, a former member of the PCB management committee, took to Twitter to confirm the latest development.
Initially, the elections for the coveted PCB Chairman role were set to take place at the PCB headquarters in Lahore on Tuesday, June 27.
A petition to challenge the election was filed by Gul Mohammad Kakar, another former member of the PCB management committee. Kakar’s plea sought a temporary suspension of the elections and the Board of Governors (BoG) until the court could address the issues raised in his petition.
Kakar’s argument claims that the formation of the BoG contravenes the nominations from the previous management committee. As such, any meetings held between the BoG and the election for the PCB Chairman should be deemed unlawful, according to his contention.
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In related news, former PCB Management Committee chief, Najam Sethi, has recently announced his decision to withdraw from the PCB Chairman election race. This move has cast the spotlight on former PCB Chairman, Zaka Ashraf, now seen as the likely candidate for the position. Ashraf, who previously held the top position in the PCB, seems to have the backing of numerous stakeholders to resume the role.
However, given the court’s recent intervention, it is apparent that Ashraf may need to overcome further hurdles before he can officially reclaim the PCB Chairman’s office.
