Minister rules out any extension in MC’s tenure

ISLAMABAD: Former chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Zaka Ashraf Friday held a second meeting within a week with Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Ehsanur Rehman Mazari. Following Wednesday’s first meeting, the second meeting took place on Friday with the minister again making it clear that he would stand by the party directions at all costs. “I will only follow the direction of the Pakistan People’s Party top leadership. I have already sent the summary to the prime minister carrying Zaka Ashraf’s name as the future PCB Chairman.

The tenure of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee will expire on June 20 and no further extension will be granted. The ministry will not send any extension summary to the PM,” Mazari said following his second meeting with Zaka. The minister said Zaka Ashraf has been nominated as the chairman by the PPP high-ups and his credentials will be fully supported. “My meeting with Zaka was meant to discuss the future roadmap,” he said. Meanwhile, Mazari again directed the PCB MC to share details of all the expenditures hiring and firing made during the last five months.

Following two letters written during the last two months, the Minister has also taken up the issue with PCB Chief Operating Officer (COO) Salman Naseer as to why the required details have not been submitted with the Ministry. “Two letters have already been written to the PCB regarding details of expenditures since the MC took over the PCB reins. That also includes hiring and firing and even tours carried out during these months. We have not received any detailed answer so far,” the minister said. The coming week is all the more important to decide the fate of the PCB and position of the two top aspirants -- Najam Sethi and Zaka Ashraf.