No Progress Yet On Appointment Of PCB Chairman

(@Abdulla99267510)

No progress yet on appointment of PCB chairman

Mazari, a member of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in the current government, publicly expressed his support for the appointment of Zaka Ashraf as PCB Chairman.

LAHORE: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-June 9th, 2023) The statement of Minister Ehsan Mazari, responsible for interprovincial coordination, has sparked a new debate regarding the appointment of the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket board (PCB).

Mazari, a member of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in the current government, publicly expressed his support for the appointment of Zaka Ashraf as PCB Chairman. Ashraf has previously held this position.

It is understood that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has shown support for Najam Sethi to continue as Chairman.

"When we formed this government, we had an understanding that the party heading the relevant ministries would appoint individuals of their choice in departments under those ministries," Mazari recently stated.

However, the PPP faces challenges in having their preferred candidate appointed as PCB Chairman.

The PCB Constitution clearly outlines the process for electing the Chairman.

According to Paragraph 6 of the PCB Constitution, "There shall be a Chairman of the Board elected by the Board of Governors in accordance with paragraph 7 for a period of three years. The Chairman shall be eligible for re-election for one further term of three years provided that the total tenure of an individual as Chairman shall in no case exceed a period of six years."

Furthermore, Paragraph 7 of the PCB Constitution specifies that "a special meeting of the Board of Governors shall be convened to elect the Chairman from amongst the members of the Board of Governors, by a majority of the total voting membership of the Board of Governors."

The PCB Board of Governors consists of four members from regional associations, four from service industries, and two members nominated by the Patron in Chief of PCB, who is the Prime Minister.

The representative of the Ministry of Interprovincial Coordination is an ex-officio member of the PCB Board of Governors and does not have voting rights.

Therefore, the PCB Constitution clearly outlines the process for electing the Chairman and who can nominate individuals to the Board of Governors for the Chairman position.

If the PPP is determined to have Zaka Ashraf appointed, they will need to convince Prime Minister Shahbaz to nominate him as the Patron's representative in the PCB. There is no other way for them to achieve this.

According to the International Cricket Council's memorandum of association, each member, including Pakistan, must manage its affairs autonomously and ensure that there is no interference from the government or any other public or quasi-public body in the governance, regulation, and administration of cricket in the country. This includes operational matters, team selection and management, and the appointment of coaches or support personnel.

Any violation of this obligation could result in the suspension of the member from the ICC.

It is important for political entities to recognize that sports organizations are autonomous and that direct government interference in their day-to-day affairs or governance can be a serious breach.

Whether it is cricket, football, or hockey, politicians must keep their involvement in sports at a distance.

Abdullah Hussain

Abdullah Hussain is a staff member who writes on politics, human rights, social issues and climate change.