Pakistan Cricket Board chairman election faces delay as two former committee members approach court

Zaka Ashraf (Pic: AFP)

The process to elect the new Pakistan Cricket Board chairman may face a delay as two members of the former management committee have approached the Lahore High Court.

On Monday, the Lahore High Court will hear two petitions filed by former PCB management committee members Shakil Sheikh and Gul Zada. The petitions are against the election process to bring in Zaka Ashraf as the chairman and the legality of the Board of Governors which will elect the new chief.

The petitioners have requested the honourable judge to stay the elections of the chairman and temporarily suspend the BOG until it gives a verdict on their petitions.

"It is a tricky situation because the election commissioner and acting Chairman of the board has set June 27 as the date for holding election for new Chairman after the changes made to the Board of Governors," one source in the board said.

Ashraf, who is facing legal challenges on his way to becoming the PCB chairman, had been in a similar situation when he assumed the position in 2012. His predecessor, Najam Sethi, had posed leagal challenges and he was even ordered to vacate his position once by the Supreme Court.

The PCB patron-in-chief, who happens to be the country's Prime Minister, nominates two candidates to the BOG and one of them is elected as chairman.

This time after incumbent Sethi had withdrawn from the election race, the premier nominated Zaka Ashraf and Mustafa Ramday as his candidates on the PCB's BOG.

Also Read: Zaka Ashraf nominated to PCB's Board of Governors

The uncertainty in Pakistan cricket comes at a time when the ICC and BCCI are set to announce the schedule for the ODI World Cup on Tuesday.

"It will be a bad situation for Pakistan cricket if the Lahore High Court issues any stay order on the petitions today. Because at a time when the PCB is faced with many challenges from the ICC and BCCI, it is important to have a proper elected chairman," a senior official of the board said.

(With PTI inputs)