PCB ready to bargain with regional associations

Board seeks to dissolve interim committees if cases are withdrawn.


Nabeel Hashmi September 21, 2013
Sethi seeks to ‘save considerable financial resources’ that would otherwise be spent on the many cases against the PCB. PHOTO: AFP

KARACHI:


The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has shown willingness to negotiate with the regional associations for the removal of cases against itself, which are pending in different courts of Pakistan.


PCB’s former chairman Zaka Ashraf had appointed interim committees in several leading regional associations of Pakistan over which the regional bodies had cried foul-play.

But now with caretaker chairman Najam Sethi at the helm, the matter could be resolved out of court  as Sethi is open to the idea of dissolving interim committees if the regional association takes back their cases against the PCB.

It has been learnt by The Express Tribune that Sethi believed that this disagreement was consuming valuable resources and time. He arrived at the conclusion that it was in the interest of the PCB to resolve the issues before they start damaging cricket in Pakistan.

The board had been unable to conduct elections in several regions where the tenure of leading office bearers had expired because of several issues including the pending litigation.

“If all the cases of the interim committees are withdrawn, the PCB will be able to expeditiously conduct elections and appoint elected bodies in those regions,” Sethi wrote to the Governing Board (GB) members.

“The withdrawal of cases will also remove the objection the litigants have raised in Islamabad the High Court ,(IHC) challenging the PCB’s constitution. It will save a lot of financial resources while it will also assist in an early resolution of the case in the IHC which is hampering the workings of the PCB.”

He further wrote that it would be prudent to induct up to three honorary advisers from past and present stakeholders to help overcome various issues confronting districts, regions and domestic cricket. Sethi has also sought a quick reply from the GB members with their decision.

It should be mentioned here that GB member Shakil Shaikh, who belongs to the Islamabad Regional Cricket Association, had proposed to the previous chairman to appoint interim committees which ultimately led to the downfall of Ashraf. However, Shaikh is still a part of the GB.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22nd, 2013.

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