Summary The newly formed constitution of PCB has been formulated without the consent of the stakeholders.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Justice Athar Minallah heard the petition filed by Nadeem Suddle against the clauses of the newly formulated constitution of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) at the Islamabad High Court on Thursday morning.
The stance maintained in the petition was that the newly formed constitution of PCB has been formulated without the consent of the stakeholders which is against the law. Under the new constitution, fresh elections are to be held within 30 days to elect the chairman of PCB for the next three years.
The decision regarding the case has been reserved and is expected to be announced any minute.
Justice (Retd) Sair Ali had been given the charge of the office on August 5 for an interim period. He has been given the task by the government to conduct fresh elections within 30-days of appointment.
The former president of PCB Najam Sethi will work as a member of the governing board.
On July 21, Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered cricket authorities to hold fresh elections within a week to end a 14-month administrative crisis that has sparked international ridicule.
The saga began in May last year when the then-chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Zaka Ashraf, was suspended for holding dubious elections.
Since then, Ashraf and journalist Najam Sethi have been engaged in a power struggle for the top job. Each was reinstated in turn while the other was thrown out of office through a series of court rulings and government decrees.
The Supreme Court said the PCB must hold fresh elections for the chairman's post under its newly ratified constitution.
Sethi said he would not contest the election.
"After today's ruling I am restored until the elections are held and I will sit in the governing board but will not be contesting the election for chairman's post," he had announced.
Local media last month reported that Sethi would create a new position of PCB managing director for himself, with the chairman becoming a ceremonial post. The report was denied by the body.
"I had said before, and I am saying this now, that I had no long-term interest in the PCB and my long-term interest is only in the media," said Sethi, a long time newspaper editor and TV anchor.
The musical chairs game for the top job has made the PCB a laughing stock overseas, with the International Cricket Council showing concern over who it should talk to on administrative matters.
Traditionally, the government of the day has appointed its own candidate as head of the PCB, a system which has come in for criticism from former players including Imran Khan.
