Seven government officials, including Punjab chief secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, have been appointed to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as outgoing Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar makes long-term decisions ahead of an elected prime minister taking office in early March. These appointments come as Kakar acts as the PCB patron-in-chief.
Initially, the caretaker PM nominated Mohsin Naqvi for the position of PCB chairman while he was serving as caretaker chief minister of Punjab. Naqvi was subsequently elected as PCB chief on Feb 6, just two days before the general elections.
Kakar quietly amended the PCB constitution, increasing the number of his nominees from two to three on the PCB Board of Governors, the main decision-making body of the cricket board. Initially, two nominees were appointed by Kakar, including Mohsin Naqvi, along with Mustafa Ramday, nominated by then Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and Zaka Ashraf.
Now, with the addition of Zahid, the number of PM's nominees on the PCB Board has increased.
Additionally, the Establishment Division has issued orders for government officials, including Sohail Ashraf, Zain Asim, Abdullah Khurram Niazi, Irtiza Komail, and Rafiullah, to join the PCB. It is also anticipated that a police official named Usman will join the PCB.
A PCB official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that orders for some officials had been issued by the Establishment Division. However, the specific roles of these government officials within the PCB are yet to be determined as the chairman is currently on leave and abroad with his family.
Abdullah Khurram, who will leave his position as deputy commissioner of Jhang to join the PCB, had previously served as secretary of the defunct Punjab Cricket Association during Ehsan Mani’s tenure under the 2019 PCB constitution. This constitution was replaced with the 2014 version, which was later restored by the Shahbaz-led government in 2022.
Although the Establishment Division has issued notification of Sohail Ashraf’s transfer to the PCB, the Punjab government has not yet relieved him of his duties.
These government officials are expected to hold senior positions within the PCB, potentially resulting in several directors within the PCB losing their positions.