Najam Sethi has made the decision to step down from his role as the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), effectively removing himself from contention for the position of board chairman. Sethi had been leading an interim management committee that had been overseeing the board since December of the previous year. However, the committee's term was scheduled to conclude on June 21. With Seth departing, former chairman Zaka Ashraf is set to take over at the helm of affairs.
Until recently, it appeared that Sethi would continue in his role as chairman of the board once the interim setup came to an end. However, in the past few weeks, there has been increasing speculation about the potential return of Zaka Ashraf, a former chairman of the board. While Ashraf's return is more or less confirmed, let's understand who Zaka Ashraf is, who once had a long-standing feud with Najam Sethi.
Early Life and political ideology
Ashraf completed his education at Sadiq Public School in Bahawalpur and Cadet College Petaro, graduating in 1973.
Ashraf Zaka has been associated with the Pakistan Peoples Party since 1970, during the tenure of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's government. During his time in college, he forged strong connections with the future politician Asif Ali Zardari, as they shared similar political ideologies.
Previous tenure and how politics plays its part
Chaudhry Muhammad Zaka Ashraf, had earlier been appointed as chairman of the PCB in 15th October 2011. In Pakistan cricket, it has been customary for the Prime Minister's appointment to the PCB Board of Governors who usually becomes the Board chairman.
During his first tenure Zaka was appointed as the chairman of PCB by the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari. However, on 10th February 2014, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif dissolved the governing board of the PCB and removed Ashraf from his chairmanship. He was also elected as the chairman of the Development Committee of the Asian Cricket Council in 2012.
Feud with Najam Sethi
Ashraf's return as chairman after a span of nine years, highlights the recurring conflicts that characterised the power struggle between him and Sethi from 2013 to 2014 when the chairmanship switched hands several times. During that period, the two engaged in a lengthy legal battle for chairmanship, resulting in multiple transitions of power.
The matter seemed resolved when former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the elder brother of Shehbaz Sharif, removed Ashraf and appointed Sethi. However, following extensive negotiations between the involved parties, Sethi was compelled to step aside and allow Ashraf to take his place.
