PCB chief’s election issue referred to law ministry for advice

ISLAMABAD: The matters pertaining to legal complications involved in the election of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman will be referred to the Ministry of Law and Justice for advice before moving ahead to form the Governing Board and conduct elections in all probability within the next 15 days.

Reputed lawyer Shah Khawar, who also heads the PCB Election Commission to conduct the chairman election, told ‘The News’ following a high-level meeting in the Committee Room at the Ministry for IPC that before moving ahead the matter has been referred to the Ministry of Law and Justice.

“There are so many petitions and pleas involved including the one filed in the Lahore High Court and another in Balochistan. Before finalising the roadmap, we have decided to move the ministry for relevant advice.”

Shah Khawar in a detailed talk following a half an hour meeting at the ministry offices said the matters would be amicably settled. The meeting that was chaired by Caretaker Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad also involved PCB Management Committee (MC) Chairman Zaka Ashraf, Chief Operating Officer (COO) Salman Naseer, Brig (r) Saajid and the ministry officials.

He also updated the participants on the developments made so far to hold the PCB elections.“Even a petition was moved against my appointment as the PCB Election Commissioner so the best way forward is to seek advice from the Law Ministry which is expected to be received within the next two days,” he said.

Shah Khawar added that there will be no change in the Management Committee which will help in constituting the Governing Board under his supervision, having the right to elect the PCB Chairman.

“The minister directed that all the laid down rules should be followed to conduct the PCB Chairman elections. That is why we are seeking the Law Ministry’s advice. The GB that will be having the right to vote will be constituted in accordance with the laid down rules. It is wrong to assume that this meeting was meant to make any changes in the MC and to constitute the Governing Board. We will sit together with the MC to discuss the Governing Board’s formation before conducting the chairman’s elections.”

‘The News’ however has learnt from independent sources that anything could happen in the run up to the election.Fawad following the meeting said that the ministry wanted an amicable settlement.“We don’t want to get involved in any controversies. We want all the stakeholders to agree to the formation of the Board to avoid any legal issues in future.”Zaka and Mustafa Ramday are the front runners for the post of chairman as the two are direct nominees of the patron-in-chief. Unless and until a new name comes from the top, the two are most likely to contest the elections.