IHC reserves verdict on maintainability of plea challenging Naqvi’s appointment as PCB chief

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday reserved its verdict on the maintainability of a plea challenging the appointment of Mohsin Naqvi as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman.

The petition, heard by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, was filed in the court contending that although it is the prerogative of the prime minister to appoint the PCB chief, there lies a distinction between the authority of an elected prime minister and a caretaker one.

During the hearing today, the petitioner’s counsel argued a caretaker prime minister “cannot be the PCB’s patron-in-chief”, who has the authority to appoint the PCB head.

Last month, Naqvi — a media channel owner — who was serving as Punjab’s interim chief minister was elected unopposed as the PCB chairman for three years after being nominated by Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar for the cricketing body’s Board of Governors.

Naqvi was appointed to the sought-after post after the board was hit by a series of resignations following the team’s dismal performances in major tournaments.

The officials who had stepped down from their posts included Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn, and Andrew Puttick.

Prior to that, Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam had also resigned as the national team’s captain from all three formats.