PCB hoping for relief

The Pakistan Cricket Board is hoping to get some relief when its appeal petition comes up for hearing before the Islamabad High Court on September 19.
The Islamabad High Court had passed a judgement in July restraining caretaker chief of the board, Najam Sethi from exercising full powers of his position and ordering election of a new chairman in 90 days' time under the supervision of the Election Commission of Pakistan.
The single bench court of the court, which passed the judgement on a constitutional writ petition filed by a citizen against the election of Zaka Ashraf as PCB chairman way back in May, had also directed the board to include members of the media and a cricket follower on the national selection committee.

The PCB had filed an appeal against the IHC judgement, terming many of its decisions as detrimental for the sport in Pakistan and sources said the appeal is due to be heard this month.
"The board is hopeful that it will get some relief at the appeal hearing when the court hears its arguments and caretaker chairman, Najam Sethi may be allowed to exercise full powers until elections are held for the new Chairman," another well-informed source said.
The IHC had dealt a blow to the cricket administration when it had declared as null and void the election of Zaka Ashraf as chairman following which the government appointed Sethi as acting chairman.

But the IHC in its judgement ruled that Sethi should work as caretaker chairman with little powers.
But since the judgement was passed the board, after consulting the attorney general of Pakistan, has managed to conduct its day-to-day affairs through its general body which recently also approved sale of media rights for the coming series against South Africa and Sri Lanka in the UAE.