RAWALPINDI : July 19,2023: A singe bench of Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench of Justice Shahid Jameel Khan dismissed a petition filed by Naveed Abbasi , president of Rawalpindi Cricket Committee , and upheld appointment of Chaudhary Zaka Ashraf as chairman management committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The court heard the arguments on the petition for several hours and after listening to the counsels of both the parties (PCB and the petitioner) passed an order which said the appointment made by the federal government for appointment of Chaudhary Zaka Ashraf as chairman of PCB management committee was valid and in line with the constitution of the board .
Chaudhary Bilal Raza Advocate appeared before the court on behalf of PCB. Arguing against the petition , Chaudhary Bilal Raza Advocate pleaded before the court that the petition filed against his client Chaudhary Zaka Ashraf chairman management committee was against the very constitution of PCB. He quoted para 48 of PCB in support of his arguments. Chaudhary Bilal Raza Advocate also challenged the timing of the petition and argued that the objective of moving the petition against appointment of his client , Chaudhary Zaka Ashraf , as chairman management committee of PCB, seems a well planned strategy to thwart PCB’s efforts to represent Pakistan’s case ahead of upcoming the Cricket World Cup.
On July 5, 2023 , the government had appointed Chaudhary Zaka Ashraf as chairman of the management committee to take crucial decisions regarding participation of Pakistan in the World Cricket Cup 2023. Chaudhary Zaka Ashraf has already resumed his responsibilities as chairman management committee of PCB and attended a very important meeting of International Cricket Council (ICC) held recently in South Africa and presented Pakistan’s case very effectively .
Meanwhile , a lobby probably sponsored by the last PCB management has launched a legal battle against Chaudhary Zaka Ashraf ‘s appointment as chairman management committee . This lobby is filing petitions at different legal forums . The sole purpose of these petitions is to stop Chaudhary Zaka Ashraf from making proper case to decide key issues faced with Pakistan with regard to holding World Cricket Cup 2023 in India .
The court also took notice of such petitions aimed at thwarting PCB working ahead of the World Cricket Cup 2023. It observed that the court carefully considers all aspects of the case and turned down the petition and upholds the federal government decision to appoint a management committee with Chaudhary Zaka Ashraf as its chairman.
The court also struck down the board of governors appointed by former chairman Najam Sethi against the rules and constitution of PCB. The court ordered to constitute a board of governors within two weeks which would hold the elections for PCB chairman in three weeks .
