Back in the saddle again: Najam Sethi restored as PCB chairperson

SC suspends notification which dissolved PCB Management Committee and formed new governing board to hold elections.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday suspended the notification which dissolved the Management Committee (MC) of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and formed a new governing board to hold elections, resulting in the restoration of Najam Sethi as the PCB chairperson, Express News reported.

Earlier today, the top court had questioned the legality of the notification as the matter was sub judice.


A two-member bench, comprising Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, heard the case regarding the restoration of Zaka Ashraf as PCB head and said that such a notification was equal to challenging the court's authority.

Justice Nisar remarked that the new governing board was illegal. However, Attorney General of Pakistan Salman Aslam Butt requested the apex court to let the governing board - which Najam Sethi is part of - work.

While speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court, Sethi said that the court, restoring his status, has told him to continue working.

"The court listened to me and then came to this decision," he added.

The case was adjourned till July 21.

On July 10, as the patron of the PCB, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had dissolved the MC and appointed Justice (r) Jamshed Ali Shah as the board’s new interim chief and election commissioner for a month. Shah is the third person in the last seven months to take over the reins of the cricket board.

Sethi, who has been removed and reinstated as PCB chief several times, will continue to assist Shah in organising elections to appoint the new PCB head.

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

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