June 19, 2013
(Cricinfo.com)
he crisis in the PCB surrounding the suspension
of Zaka Ashraf as chairman is having its deepest impact on the team's
tour of the West Indies in the middle of July, starting with the
memorandum of understanding between two boards and the selection of the
team. It has also led to a delay in the PCB budget this year that, among
other things, could affect salaries and player contracts.
The suspension of Ashraf has also led to an impasse in the board, with
officials saying it is not possible for key decisions to be signed, be
it the MoU with the WICB or the search for the home broadcasters.
Ashraf's suspension is now being argued in the Islamabad High Court,
which on Wednesday once again ordered the government to name an interim
PCB chairman within three days and report on the next hearing on June
24.
In a third hearing of the judicial petition against the PCB's new
constitution, the court decision left the board's major activities on
hold. This uncertain status at the top could make its first dent at the
ICC's annual meeting next week, as Pakistan along with other Full
Members are due to give their response to the ICC guidelines about
decreased government interference in cricket administration.
The PCB constitution allows its chairman near-absolute powers, making it
almost a one-man show. Under the PCB constitution, the PCB chairman is
also the chief executive officer and every major decision needs his
approval - effectively giving the post of chief operating officer very
limited powers.
The PCB was undecided about who will represent them at the conference, starting June 25. In 2011 the ICC had given a two-year deadline
to the member boards to democratise their constitutions and remove
government involvement in a bid to improve governance. Even though the
ICC had relaxed its clause about the role of governments and the PCB tweaked its constitution slightly under Ashraf's chairmanship, the current situation is bound to raise concerns.
When Ashraf became the first incumbent elected president
for another four-year term in May, it was the first such appointment
under the new constitution. The IHC, however, ordered Ashraf's
suspension, citing the election process "dubious" and "polluted".
The court, however, had not suspended the new constitution. The petition
against the PCB was centred on the amendments made in it, especially
those pertaining to the election of the chairman.
A government lawyer Irfanullah informed the IHC that former Pakistan
captain Majid Khan was among three candidates for the role of acting
chairman, and their names have already sent to the Prime Minister - who
will make a final call. The commentator Chishty Mujahid and former chief
of the Federal Board of Revenue Mumtaz Haider Rizvi are the other
candidates.
The revised constitution also restructured the composition of the board
of governors. The new 14-member body included five regional
representatives selected on a rotation basis, five representatives of
service organisations and departments, two non-voting former cricketers
appointed on the recommendation of the chairman and two non-voting
technocrats picked from a panel of three recommended by the chairman in
consultation with the President of Pakistan. The term of each member was
to be one year, but large regional associations like Lahore and Karachi
along with Sialkot, Faisalabad and Multan are keen to have a permanent
role on the board.
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