ISLAMABAD, Jun 22 (Alliance News):Zaka Ashraf is all set to take over the reins of Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) stewardship before Eid-ul-Azha as Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Ehsan Ur Rehman Mazari said on Wednesday that the government did not want to delay his appointment.
Talking to media along with Zaka Ashraf here at a cake-cutting ceremony on the birthday anniversary of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, the minister said that the PCB Election Commissioner would be looking after the affairs of the board till the election of the new PCB chief. “Every effort will be made to hold the elections before Eid. It is clear that Zaka Ashraf will be the new chairman of the board, following its elections,” he said.
Prime Minister Office on Tuesday in a notification said that the prime minister had nominated Zaka and Supreme Court advocate Mustafa Ramday as PCB’s Board of Governors (BoG).
According to the minister, the leadership of Pakistan People’s Party wanted to see Zaka as the PCB chief. “I had sent the summary to the Prime Minister’s House [for Zaka and Ramday’s appointment]. I am thankful to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for approving that,” he said.
To a question, he said India was politicizing cricket by not allowing its team to visit Pakistan. “India should leave its stubbornness and play cricket in Pakistan. Personally, I believe that if India does not come to Pakistan, then Pakistan should also not visit them. If India chose to play at the neutral venue then Pakistan should also do the same,” he added.
“India always plays politics on cricket. If Indian teams from other disciplines can visit Pakistan, then why not its cricket team,” he asked.
To another question, the minister said that the PCB management committee’s term had ended on the night of June 19, and the decisions taken by it after that had no status.
Talking on the occasion, Zaka said: “I am deeply grateful to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Co-Chairman of PPP Asif Ali Zardari and IPC minister Ehsan Mazari for reposing trusting in me.”
He said the Asia Cup and the World Cup were approaching and his focus would be to prepare the national outfit for those events.
In response to a question, he said that he was against the hybrid model from day one. He said if the Asian Cricket Council had given rights to PCB to hold the Asia Cup then the entire event should have taken place in Pakistan.