Shah Khawar takes over as acting PCB chairman

Lahore: Shah Khawar, an advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, has taken charge as acting chairman of the country's cricket board (PCB) on Wednesday after the resignation of Zaka Ashraf.

Zaka Ashraf's resignation was accepted by PCB's patron-in-chief, the caretaker Prime Minister, Anwar ul Haq Kakar.

"My primary responsibility will be to hold the election of Chairman PCB in a free and transparent manner at the earliest," Khawar said in a statement.

But before he holds the elections for the Chairman’s position, Khawar has to first form the Board of Governors which is made up of four representatives each of the affiliated departments and regional associations with the two nominees of the patron-in-chief also on the BOG.

The elevation of Khawar, who is also the Election Commissioner of PCB, comes after the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (sports) issued a notification on Tuesday announcing that under Article 7(2) of the PCB Constitution the Election Commissioner is vested with the powers of Chairman PCB.

The Ministry later also issued a notification confirming that Mohsin Naqvi, the caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab, had been nominated by the premier to replace Zaka Ashraf on the Board of Governors and Interim Managing Committee of the board.

The two notifications were issued after Zaka Ashraf stepped down as Chairman of the Interim Management Committee which was appointed by the government in July to run board affairs and its extension term expires on February 5.

Being a direct nominee of the patron-in-chief, Mohsin Naqvi can contest the elections for the Chairman’s post when it is held by the acting chairman and election commissioner.