Article Posted on 8 November, 2023

Chairman of PCB's Management Committee Zaka Ashraf has been accused of unconstitutional steps by a member of his own management committee, it was stated in a report by Cricinfo.

The four-month tenure of the administration led by Ashraf is due to end on November 5, at the end of this week.

Zulfiqar Malik, who is a member of the Management Committee, made the allegations in an email to Zaka Ashraf and the Management Committee.

As per the report in Cricinfo, Malik has accused Ashraf of:

• Failing its legal, prescribed mandate, which was to manage only the board's daily affairs and not make long-term decisions
• Ignoring directives from the IPC to hold board elections so that the interim set-up finishes, and a chairman is appointed
• Failing to provide his degree certificate, which is a prerequisite for becoming a PCB chairman
• Allowing his son Chaudhry Khan Mohammad to meddle informally in board matters
• Misusing the office of the PCB election commissioner to carry out political victimisation of opponents and running rigged elections in regions

"I have noted some flagrant misdoings and unconstitutional decisions by management that I wish to bring on record," he wrote, adding that the email is an attempt "to absolve myself from the unconstitutional decisions and wrongdoings which have taken place over the period of time without consultation or approval of most members."

"The appointment of Chief Selector (Inzamam ul Haq, who has now resigned) for three years on hefty Rs 2.5 million pm (per month), appointment of several Directors, Consultants, officials, Scrutiny and other Committees, approval of various projects and budget, huge expenses on different heads, hiring of legal counsels on exorbitant rates and removal or sidelining some key officials fall in the categories of long term decisions in violation of the clear cut mandate of the MC.

"Turning deaf ears on IPC Ministry's directives… for holding Chairman election was the most serious violation that Zaka Ashraf and this MC committed".

In response, the PCB said: "Every decision is taken according to the constitution." The board also defended the nature of its decision-making, saying, "Any and all decisions have been taken to ensure day to day operations of the PCB continue unencumbered."