Legal wrangling: Government challenges Ashraf’s reinstatement
Requests the Supreme Court to restore Sethi as PCB chief.
Zaka Ashraf. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Days after Zaka Ashraf was handed back control of Pakistan Cricket Board, the government appealed to the Supreme Court to reinstate Najam Sethi as the head of the board on Tuesday, setting up the stage for a long legal tussle.
The Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination, which oversees sports affairs in the country, filed the petition challenging IHC’s January 17 judgment through its counsel Asma Jahangir.
In its petition, the government expressed apprehension that the high court’s judgment will “ruin the game of cricket”.
Acting Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk directed a three-member bench of the top court headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali to hear the case today (Wednesday).
Earlier this year, the IHC had overturned an order from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to appoint Sethi and oust Zaka Ashraf as chairman.
In its plea, the government has requested the top court to restore PCB Management Committee (MC) along with Najam Sethi as the board’s chairman.
“The impugned judgment has created a situation that will have a long-term detrimental effect on PCB, if not reversed promptly and it will ruin the game of cricket”, the government says in its petition.
The appeal stated that multiple reforms including holding of elections, drafting a constitution and making alliances so that Pakistan cricket is not isolated were underway.
The government raised questions that the single bench illegally assumed the jurisdiction, as neither Arbab Altaf Hussain is a resident of Islamabad nor his service was terminated in Islamabad.
It says that matters of policy squarely remain within the domain of the executive and exception to the rule must lay down cogent and strong evidence of mala fide intentions by those alleging it.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 21st, 2014.
Days after Zaka Ashraf was handed back control of Pakistan Cricket Board, the government appealed to the Supreme Court to reinstate Najam Sethi as the head of the board on Tuesday, setting up the stage for a long legal tussle.
The Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination, which oversees sports affairs in the country, filed the petition challenging IHC’s January 17 judgment through its counsel Asma Jahangir.
In its petition, the government expressed apprehension that the high court’s judgment will “ruin the game of cricket”.
Acting Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk directed a three-member bench of the top court headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali to hear the case today (Wednesday).
Earlier this year, the IHC had overturned an order from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to appoint Sethi and oust Zaka Ashraf as chairman.
In its plea, the government has requested the top court to restore PCB Management Committee (MC) along with Najam Sethi as the board’s chairman.
“The impugned judgment has created a situation that will have a long-term detrimental effect on PCB, if not reversed promptly and it will ruin the game of cricket”, the government says in its petition.
The appeal stated that multiple reforms including holding of elections, drafting a constitution and making alliances so that Pakistan cricket is not isolated were underway.
The government raised questions that the single bench illegally assumed the jurisdiction, as neither Arbab Altaf Hussain is a resident of Islamabad nor his service was terminated in Islamabad.
It says that matters of policy squarely remain within the domain of the executive and exception to the rule must lay down cogent and strong evidence of mala fide intentions by those alleging it.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 21st, 2014.