Pakistan Supreme Court Reinstates Najam Sethi as Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman
Najam Sethi, however, said Pakistan cricket was not a game of musical chairs and this trend of going to courts had to stop.
The turmoil in the Pakistan Cricket Board continued on Wednesday with a three-member bench of the Supreme Court suspending the Islamabad High Court's earlier decision of reinstating Zaka Ashraf as chairman of the PCB. This means that Najam Sethi is now reinstated as PCB chief.
The three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Anwar Zahir Jamali gave its decision after hearing arguments of the counsel for the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) which had filed the petition against the reinstatement of Ashraf. (Read: Pakistan cricket devastated after officials fight)
Counsel Asma Jahangir told the bench that the IHC's intrusion into cricket matters had undermined the sport and hit Pakistan's image at home and abroad.
The three member bench annulled the IHC's decision given by Justice Nurul Haq Qureshi that ordered the reinstatement of Ashraf last Saturday.
The Supreme Court has now issued notices to the concerned parties to appear before it on May 27 for further hearing and arguments of the petition.
Wednesday's ruling means that the situation remains uncertain in Pakistan cricket as no one is sure what will happen at the May 27 hearing.
"It is not a decision just a stay order and I intend to contest it vigorously as I am the legally elected head of the board," Ashraf told reporters in Lahore.
He said he respected the court's orders, adding that facts were not presented during judicial procedures and he would personally do so at the next hearing.
The reinstatement of Najam Sethi will bring some breathing space for the newly-appointed chief selector Moin Khan, head coach Waqar Younis, batting coach Grant Flower and spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed who were appointed by Sethi.
Sethi told reporters that he had no intention of staying on as Chairman of the board for more than the period given to him by the Prime Minister (maximum six months).
"I have a job to do and that is to reorganise Pakistan cricket and put it on the right path. I have no ambitions to stay on as Chairman for long. We have already sent a amended constitution to the law ministry and government for approval," he said.
Sethi said Pakistan cricket was not a game of musical chairs and this trend of going to courts had to stop.