LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) interim chairman Shah Khawar said on Friday the board’s constitution did not disallow caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi to assume his duties as a member of the Board of Governors (BoG).
Mr Khawar, who is also the Election Commissioner of PCB, held a press conference at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
On the process of electing the PCB chairman, he said: “The prime minister is the patron of the PCB and has the authority to nominate two members in the BoG which he has already done,” adding that the chairman office was not an office of profit.
According to the constitution, the election commissioner is empowered and responsible for holding the elections in due time. The constitution says that normally whenever a BoG is dissolved, elections are supposed to be held within four months and the elections commissioner is authorised to perform duties of the chairman for the interim period. This set-up will remain till Feb 3 and then hand over power to the elected officials.
“Election of the PCB chairman depends on the constituition of the Board of Governors; if we are able to do it tomorrow, we can hold elections within one week. Feb 8 [the day of general elections] is not a benchmark for us,” he said.
Shedding light on his duties in the current role, he stated that his job was to oversee the day-to-day affairs. “Some of the contracts of certain officials are already expiring. If it is necessary, we might make some short-term appointments within our limits.”
The cricket administration has already started the process of holding PSL in which the interior ministry is involved and is in liaison with the PCB, he said.
The PCB interim chief also talked about his meeting with Pakistan Men’s Cricket Team Director Mohammad Hafeez, chief selector Wahab Riaz and Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer.
He said a general discussion regarding the team’s performances in Australia and New Zealand was held in the meeting.
Hafeez will furnish a formal report assessing the team’s performances and reasons for defeats in the Test and T20I series.
“On the issue of granting NOCs to players to participate in franchise leagues, the PCB has the policy of giving centrally contracted players permission to attain NOC for a maximum of two leagues apart from HBL PSL over the course of a year. Their first priority has to be to play for Pakistan and all centrally contracted players must adhere to this.”