Uncertainty prevailed in Pakistan cricket after the Islamabad High Court on Monday refused to take up PCB’s appeal against the court order that barred caretaker chairman Najam Sethi from using full powers in the functioning of the board.
Mr. Sethi, last week, had made it clear that if the Board’s appeal was not heard by the divisional bench today, he would talk to the Prime Minister and submit his resignation. He said that he couldn’t continue to work in an environment where he had been paralysed by the July judgement of the IHC which stopped him from using his full powers as chairman of the board while hearing out a writ constitutional petition.
“It is a situation where since our appeal has not been heard as yet the chairman and board can’t take long-term decisions nor make fresh appointments like having a new chief selector or new selectors,” PCB legal advisor Taffazul Rizvi said.
An official source confirmed that the chairman was keen to carry out operational decisions in the board by bringing in new people and sidelining the old ones, but couldn’t do this because of the IHC judgement.
“The worst part is he can’t take long term decisions like appointing new selectors or team management as such we have to continue by retaining and extending the contracts of the old appointments even though in some cases we might not want to do it,” the official said.
The PCB recently extended the contract of national team bowling coach Mohammad Akram for the South African tour and also asked Moin Khan to continue as manager while giving two one-month extensions to the national selectors.
Mr. Rizvi further confirmed that the board was also in a quandary over the holding of elections for the chairman’s post since the IHC judgement had stated that elections must be held by October 18.
“The court also said the election commission of Pakistan will hold the elections but we have thrice written to them about this and still waiting for an answer,” he said.
“So basically it is an uncertain situation for the board and cricket affairs,” he added.
