Mohsin Naqvi poised to take the reins at PCB amidst leadership shuffle
Lahore, Jan 23: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revolving door at the helm is set to welcome a new face, as Mohsin Naqvi prepares to step into the role of chairman pending upcoming PCB elections.
The sudden vacancy arose when Zaka Ashraf resigned just a week ago, a fortnight before his extended tenure as chairman of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) was set to conclude.
Originally appointed head of the IMC in July of the previous year, Ashraf's task was to finalize the Board of Governors (BoG) and conduct elections for the post of board chairman within four months. However, this timeline proved elusive, prompting a three-month extension granted by the caretaker prime minister of Pakistan, Anwar ul Haq Kakar.
The 45-year-old Naqvi, currently serving as the caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab, has been nominated to fill the position left vacant by Ashraf on the board of governors. This nomination sets the stage for Naqvi's potential election as the new chairman. Remarkably, he is expected to continue his governmental role even if elected as chairman until the upcoming general elections in Pakistan, anticipated on February 8.
As the PCB election commissioner, Shah Khawar has assumed temporary charge as chairman and is set to conduct a crucial meeting at the PCB headquarters at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday. The outcome of this meeting is anticipated to shed light on the schedule and proceedings of the upcoming PCB elections. Once these elections are held, the newly appointed chairman will serve a three-year term.
The potential ascent of Naqvi, a figure unfamiliar with cricket administration, would mark the end of a prolonged period exceeding a year without a formally elected PCB chairman. The previous chairman, Ramiz Raja, was removed in December 2022, and the helm was then briefly taken over by Najam Sethi. However, Sethi's resignation in June 2023 for political reasons paved the way for Ashraf's tumultuous term, characterized by frequent accusations of "flagrant misdoings and unconstitutional decisions."
Alongside Naqvi, the remaining nine members of the IMC, including notable figures such as Kalim Ullah Khan, Zaheer Abbas, and Khurram Karim Somroo, find themselves in the midst of a significant cricketing transition.