Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) came face to face over the appointment of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, senior journalist Hamid Mir said.
During the show, Mir said that the PPP’s stand on the matter is that since its minister heads the inter-provincial liaison division and the PCB belongs to the ministry, its chairman should be appointed by the party. . People’s Party wants to appoint former PCB chief Zaka Ashraf for this post.
However, the PML-N wants to appoint PCB management committee chairman Najam Sethi to the post, which has created a rift between the two parties.
Speaking on this issue during the program, PML-N leader and Federal Minister Khurram Dastgir rejected the impression of differences.
“These may be internal matters, but we have good relations and good working relationships with our allies,” Dastgir said.
However, getting appointed to the desired post is not an easy task.
The aspirants had a busy day in the capital yesterday, lobbying to showcase their credentials and using their connections to reach the corridors of power.
Najam Sethi met PCB Patron Chief Shehbaz Sharif, former PCB Chairman Ashraf met Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Minister Ehsan Mazari.
In the meeting that lasted for over an hour, Mazari assured Ashraf of full support for the post as per party policy.
“We have clear instructions from our party leadership that Zaka Ashraf proved to be a real success in his previous tenure as PCB chairman. He is our strongest and best administrator as he has proved in his previous tenure. Even the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was his brainchild,” the minister told JEE News.
“There is no principle and moral principle that the supervisor should start contesting elections when he was appointed only for the necessary preparations for free and fair elections.
“Secondly, since the sports ministry and – for that matter – the IPC ministry falls under the purview of the PPP in the coalition government, it is our right to field a PPP-backed candidate for the post. We cannot interfere in ministries where PML-N or JUI have their ministers and everyone expects to respect our mandate,” Mazari said.
“We hope and expect that we will soon receive the name of Zaka Ashraf as one of the Prime Minister’s nominees for the post of PCB Chairman. His name was requested from the Prime Minister.
Further, after the meeting, Ashraf confirmed that he has been nominated by the PPP as the future chairman of the PCB and the meeting was aimed at the future setup and the formalities involved. Had to discuss.
He also appreciated the minister’s role in streamlining sports in the country.
“I am truly thankful to the minister for the role he played in broadening the base of sports infrastructure and even making efforts for free and fair PCB elections. The Mazari family has a history of contribution to Pakistan and I am happy that the Mazaris are carrying forward this legacy,” Ashraf told JEE News.
During the meeting, he also informed Mazari about the importance of departmental and regional cricket and its role in the development of cricket in the country.
A few months ago, before the PCB’s management committee’s extended notification, JEE News broke the story of Ashraf being a strong contender for the post of permanent PCB chairman.
The extension of PCBMC ends on June 21 and efforts are on to hold elections for the chairman before that. A meeting has already been called by MC Chairman Sethi on June 12 to discuss and finalize the Electoral College.
