Zaka Ashraf new PCB chairman

Zaka Ashraf, President of Zarai Taraqiyati Bank, has been appointed chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board in place of Ijaz Butt.
President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also chief patron of the PCB, on Tuesday did not extend the term of Ijaz Butt and appointed Zaka as the new chairman. Butt’s term expired on October 8.
The President, before appointing Zaka as the chairman, offered the post to a prominent PPP figure Aitzaz Ahsan but he refused to take the post.
The decision was taken after a meeting between President Zardari and Ashraf at Aiwan-i-Sadr at around 3 pm which lasted for around an hour. “A notification of his appointment will be issued soon,” said an official of the President House. An official of the PCB confirmed that a notification was issued later in the evening.
Ashraf, a close friend and a class fellow of President Zardari, was appointed president of ZTBL in 2007-08.
Zaka, who himself owns a number of sugar mills, was also chairman of the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association.
Former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas had also added his name to the list of candidates interested in the coveted post.
Butt’s tenure came to end on October 8 but some reports indicated that his tenure may be extended after a notice from the Presidency.
It was learnt that Butt was seeking an extension and was looking to take into confidence President Zardari. But former players and PCB officials wanted a new man to run the board and concluded that Butt’s three-year stint brought unprecedented miseries.
Butt’s three-year tenure drew heavy criticism due to various unwanted incidents and controversies from former PCB bosses and former Test cricketers. However, the chairman also enjoyed support from many given his strict disciplinary policy and the introduction of new players in the squad.
The team was affected by a number of controversies including allegations of spot-fixing, disagreements over selection and player unrest.
Butt returned home on Monday from Dubai after attending the executive board meeting of the International Cricket Council.
The darkest day of all in Butt’s tenure was the March 2, 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team at Liberty Roundabout that left at least seven people including police officials dead and several injured. Those injured also included two Sri Lankan players and a Pakistan umpire Ahsan Raza, which led to foreign teams boycotting playing in Pakistan.
Some of the other prominent controversies that plagued Pakistan cricket during his three year term was the spot-fixing scandal that left the nation and the followers of the game in a shock while infighting and players power and Shahid Afridi’s stance over the selection of players and fight with chief coach Waqar Younis was also part of Mr Butt term as chairman.
Cricket is a passion in Pakistan with millions of people scrutinising the board’s every move and the national team’s performances.
A number of names including Ali Raza, former captain Javed Miandad, Majid Khan and Zaheer Abbas were among the shortlisted aspirants. However, on Tuesday, all speculations ended when Zardari appointed a noted banker as chairman.
After Butt returned from the ICC meeting, he probably tried to work on his contacts to earn him the extension, but he just could not get it.
Butt attended office on Tuesday but left soon. “He was pre-occupied and left early. Indications were that he had been informed about the change by the Presidency,” the board official added.
The new chairman: Ashraf is known as an ardent cricket follower who regularised jobs of cricketers in his bank.
A senior Board official confirmed that the government had issued a notification with regard to the appointment of the new PCB chairman but he had not seen it as yet.
“Under the constitution any one appointed as Chairman automatically has a three-year term,” chief operating officer Subhan Ahmad said.
Ashraf is said to be a close friend of President Zardari as both studied together at Petaro College and stayed in the hostel.