The Lahore High Court has taken a significant decision by putting a hold on the election of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and suspending the notification of the Board of Governors. This development came as a result of a petition filed by Malik Zulifqar, who argued that Chief Election Commissioner Shahzad Farooq Rana had made unauthorized changes to the list of the BoGs, which had already been finalized by the interim management committee on June 20. The petition claimed that the actions of the chief election commissioner were illegal and sought a stay order from the court.
The Lahore High Court issued notices to the federal government, the PCB election commissioner, and other relevant parties. This decision follows a similar stay order issued by the Balochistan High Court the day before, which had halted the elections for the PCB chairman until further orders. Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Amir Nawaz of the Balochistan High Court had set the date of July 17 to resume hearing the case, considering the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha holidays and the court’s summer vacation.
The scheduled elections for the PCB chairman, which were supposed to take place on June 27 at the PCB headquarters in Lahore, have now been postponed indefinitely due to the court’s orders. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination, and the PCB Chairman nominee Zaka Ashraf, along with others, have been issued notices regarding the case.
The petition filed by Gul Mohammad Kakar, a former member of the PCB management committee, raised concerns about the validity of the BoG and the subsequent election of the cricket board’s chairman. The petitioners urged the court to halt the elections and suspend the BoG until a verdict is reached on their petitions. They argued that the establishment of the BoG went against the nominations of the ex-management committee, making the meeting between the BoG and the election of the chairman illegal as well.
The Lahore High Court’s stay order and the Balochistan High Court’s decision have brought a temporary halt to the PCB chairman election process, creating uncertainty and raising questions about the legitimacy of the current BoG. The court proceedings will continue on July 17, shedding light on the future course of action for the PCB and its leadership.
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