Govt ousts Sethi, names new PCB interim boss

Justice (r) Jamshed Ali Shah will also serve as board’s poll commissioner.



ISLAMABAD/ KARACHI:


As the patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed Justice (r) Jamshed Ali Shah as the board’s new interim chief and election commissioner on Thursday, while the Management Committee (MC) led by Najam Sethi stands dissolved.


Shah is the third person in the last seven months to take over the chairmanship.

However, Sethi will continue to assist Shah – who has been appointed for a month – in hosting elections to appoint the new PCB chairman.

The PCB chairmanship tussle began in the Supreme Court (SC) as Zaka Ashraf wanted to come back in power whereas the government wanted its own nominee to head the board.

However, a new twist developed during Thursday’s hearing when Attorney General (AG) Salman Aslam Butt brought it to the knowledge of the apex court’s two-member bench -- comprising Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Saqib Nisar – that the government has removed Sethi as PCB chief and appointed Shah as the interim head and election commissioner.

As per Article 7(2) of the PCB’s new constitution, the election commissioner shall take over as the chairman and ensure the conduct of elections within 30 days from the date of assumption of office.

The new acting chairman, Jamshed Shah, was involved in drafting the new PCB constitution, which was approved by the patron on Wednesday, and he had earlier headed the PCB Integrity Committee.

“I was informed verbally to take charge as the interim PCB chief and election commissioner,” Shah said at the PCB headquarters. “I will know my power after receiving the government’s notification and detailed SC order.” He added that the Electoral College according to the new constitution will elect the chairman and his primary work would be to prepare the election schedule.

Sethi still in the fray

Sethi is still a contender in the upcoming PCB elections and he has also been nominated as a member, along with Iqbal Umar, of the new governing body by PM Nawaz.

The officials close to former PCB head have revealed that he welcomed the prime minister’s decision to hold elections within 30 days and nominate him in the governing body, which will assist Shah.

Sethi had recently helped Pakistan get a position in the International Cricket Council (ICC) powerful Executive Committee plus a nomination for the ICC President 2015. He has also signed six series with India, which will fetch Rs40 billion alone from four home series against the archrivals.

However, during the hearing of the case related to the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination’s appeal, Imtiaz Rashid Siddiqui, the counsel for former PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf raised objections over Sethi’s nomination as a member of the Board of Governors.

Similarly, the two-judge bench, headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, expressed concern over the use of the prime minister’s discretionary powers to nominate Sethi.

The bench asked the AGP to consult the premier regarding the removal of Sethi’s name from the PCB’s governing body and inform the court today (Friday). 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11th, 2014.

COMMENTS (4)

Smart move! | 9 years ago | Reply

Sethi, actually ousted himself to be elected back permanently... for five years. Excellent.

the Skunk | 9 years ago | Reply

Sethi will be back, InshAllah. PRAY that controversies cool down in PCB, the patron et al adopt a non-interference attitude, and racial jealousy is shown the back door. Salams

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