Punjab CM Naqvi becomes 37th PCB chairman

KARACHI: Mohsin Naqvi, who is currently serving as the caretaker chief minister of Punjab, was elected unopposed as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman for the next three years.

PCB's Chief Election Commissioner Shah Khawar made an official announcement at a press conference in Lahore on Monday, saying Naqvi will assume the responsibilities in a few days.

Naqvi will be the 37th chairman of the cricket board after replacing the former chairman of the PCB Management Committee, Zaka Ashraf, in the Board of Governors (BoG).

"Mohsin Naqvi can take up the role of chairman along with his chief minister position. There is no restriction in the law and constitution that might restrict him from becoming the chairman immediately," said Khawar.

He said that the cricket governing body has constituted a board in accordance with the constitution. "There will be good decisions and work in the upcoming events," added the chief election commissioner.

Naqvi — a media channel owner, who has been serving as the interim chief minister for over a year — was nominated by caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar for the cricketing body's BoG.

“I will try to fix the issues affecting Pakistan cricket. Reforms in cricket are the need of the hour,” Naqvi had said.

Earlier in January, Ashraf resigned as the chairman of the PCB Management Committee. The 72-year-old announced his resignation during the committee’s meeting.

Ashraf became part of PCB's Board of Governors on July 6, he assumed his role as the chairman by replacing Najam Sethi on the same day.

"I was working for the betterment of cricket but it is not possible for us to work in this way," he said.

During the tenure of Ashraf, Pakistan played two major competitions — Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup.

The Men in Green failed to qualify in the final of the continental tournament while they also couldn't qualify for the semi-finals of the World Cup.