Pakistan Cricket Board chief Zaka Ashraf, who earlier said he did not need a vote of confidence as the board’s chairman, is in doldrums after the Islamabad High Court ordered his suspension.

[caption id="attachment_1225" align="alignright" width="249"]Zaka Ashraf was made the first elected chairman of the PCB in recent elections (Photo: AFP) Zaka Ashraf was made the first elected chairman of the PCB in recent elections (Photo: AFP)[/caption]

He was ordered to stop from working as the board’s chairman on Tuesday after a petition filed by former Army cricket team coach.

The petitioner, Major (Retd) Ahmed Nadeem, had requested the court to suspend Ashraf, challenging his appointment after the PCB elections, held earlier this month.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui issued notices to the board’s chairman, the Secretary Sports Board and Secretary Ministry of Inter Provincial and barred Ashraf from working.

Nadeem had earlier requested the IHC to accept his petition and suspend Ashraf as PCB chief, adding that the nomination committee should also be declared illegal. He also demanded the court to give orders of conducting re-elections.

The IHC’s move came a day after Pakistan national cricket team arrived in England for the eight-nation Champions Trophy, set to be held from June 6 to 23.

After Ashraf’s suspension, the Board of Governors (BoG) has decided to put off the Annual General Meeting that the PCB chief was to attend in Karachi. The BoG has also postponed a scheduled meeting until further notice.

Ashraf has also confirmed that he is not working as the board’s chairman after the court’s order.

PCB’s legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi vowed to defend the case against Ashraf, alleging that the court was not guided properly. He said the PCB’s new constitution – under which Ashraf was made the board’s first elected chairman – was endorsed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistani government. He added that the board would apprise the court in this regard.

This is not the only petition the PCB is facing. Faisalabad and Sialkot regions have also submitted their petitions and another petition was filed by former Pakistani wicket-keeper Rashid Latif against Ashraf’s appointment.

Moreover, the representatives from the regional associations of Lahore, Karachi, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Multan, Abbottabad – who were ignored by the PCB in electing its chairman – held a joint press conference in Lahore on Tuesday, demanding Ashraf’s resignation.
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