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by AFP and Staff Report
Aamir Qureshi—AFP

Aamir Qureshi—AFP

A timeline of the repeated sacking and rehiring of Zaka Ashraf and Najam Sethi.

The extraordinary game of musical chairs at the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) took a fresh turn on Friday with the restoration of Najam Sethi as the chief of the beleaguered organization, a day after he was removed from office and replaced by a retired judge.

Here is a timeline of the 15 months of changes that have left the PCB in turmoil.

May 8, 2013

Zaka Ashraf elected as PCB chairman. In keeping with traditional practice in Pakistan, Ashraf was originally appointed by then-president Asif Ali Zardari but reforms demanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the game’s governing body, meant he had to undergo election.

May 28

The Islamabad High Court suspends Ashraf, saying the election to choose him was “dubious” and a fresh one should be held.

June 23

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appoints veteran journalist Najam Sethi as the PCB’s interim chairman, a month after coming to power in general elections.

Oct. 15

Sharif takes over as PCB patron following an amendment in the national constitution, which gave powers to the P.M., and appoints a PCB management committee with Sethi as chairman.

Jan. 15, 2014

A court appeal bench restores Ashraf as PCB chairman.

Feb. 10

Sharif once again sacks Ashraf, and appoints Sethi as PCB’s committee chief.

May 17

An Islamabad High Court appeal bench restores Ashraf, again.

May 21

The Supreme Court gives a stay order suspending the high court’s restoration of Ashraf, bringing Sethi back as PCB chief.

July 10

Sharif appoints former judge Jamshed Ali Shah as interim PCB chief to hold elections for a permanent chairman within 30 days. Sethi is removed again as a result.

July 11

Supreme Court suspends notification deseating Sethi, claiming the matter is sub judice and any new governing board would be illegal until the matter is settled in court.

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1 comment

Javaid Bashir July 11, 2014 - 6:50 pm

PCB ‘s future and the game of Cricket is suffering from the unnecessary sea saw between the executive and the Court. I condemn both the Executive and the Court for this malaise The predicament will never end. One wrong decision leads to another wrong. The Courts must decide sooner than later.

Both Zaka and Najam are the real cause of this trouble. Just dump them and order fresh transparent election to elect a new governing body. At present we are being made a spectacle for the international cricketing community. We are the butt of jokes. We can not run anything without controversy.

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