LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board has inducted seven government officials, including Zahid Akhtar Zaman, the chief secretary of Punjab, as caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar continues to make long-term decisions until an elected prime minister assumes leadership in the first week of March and takes major decisions as PCB patron-in-chief.
Initially, Mohsin Naqvi was proposed by the acting prime minister for the PCB chairmanship. Mohsin was the caretaker chief minister of Punjab at the time. Afterwards, on February 6, two days prior to the nation’s general elections, he was chosen as PCB chief.
Quietly, Anwaar changed the PCB constitution so that he could have three nominations on the PCB Board of Governors, the cricket board’s main think tank, instead of only two.
In addition to keeping Mustafa Ramday, who was proposed by the then-prime minister Shahbaz Sharif along with Zaka Ashraf, Anwar had first named two nominees, including Mohsin.
Additionally, Zahid’s incorporation has increased the number of nominees for PM.
In addition, government officials including as Sohail Ashraf (BS-20), Zain Asim (BS-18), Abdullah Khurram Niazi (BS-18), Irtiza Komail, and Rafiullah were given orders by the Establishment Division to become members of the PCB.
Sources claim that Usman, a police official, will also join the PCB.
Dawn was informed by a PCB official that the Establishment Division has issued the orders pertaining to certain officials. What exactly they would accomplish is unclear as of yet, though.
The PCB chairman is currently on vacation and traveling overseas with his family. The PCB official stated, speaking under anonymity, “The situation regarding the jobs of these government officials will be decided when he returns.”
It should be noted that Abdullah Khurram, who is joining the PCB and will be leaving his position as deputy commissioner in Jhang, his hometown of Mohsin, previously served as secretary of the Punjab Cricket Association under Ehsan Mani’s administration. The 2019 PCB constitution replaced the 2014 constitution, which was reinstated in 2022 by the Shahbaz-led government.
Sources claimed that even though Sohail Ashraf’s transfer to the PCB had been announced by the Establishment Division, the Punjab government had not yet released him.
The sources also stated that since multiple PCB directors would lose their jobs, all these government officials will oversee the PCB from higher positions.
