Zaka Ashraf

Chaudhry Muhammad Zaka Ashraf (Punjabi, Urdu: چوہدری محمد ذكا اشرف; born 9 September 1952) is a Pakistani executive administrator who is currently serving as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, since July 2023.[1][2]

Zaka Ashraf
ذكا اشرف
27th, 29th & 37th Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board
Assumed office
6 July 2023
PresidentArif Alvi
Prime MinisterShehbaz Sharif
Anwaar ul Haq Kakar (caretaker)
Preceded byNajam Sethi
In office
15 January 2014 – 10 February 2014
PresidentMamnoon Hussain
Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif
Preceded byRamiz Raja (acting)
Succeeded byNajam Sethi
In office
27 October 2011 – 24 June 2013
PresidentAsif Ali Zardari
Prime MinisterYusuf Raza Gillani
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf
Nawaz Sharif
Preceded byIjaz Butt
Succeeded byNajam Sethi (acting)
President of Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited
In office
9 September 2008 – 25 October 2011
Personal details
Born
Muhammad Zaka Ashraf

(1952-09-09) 9 September 1952
Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, Pakistan
RelationsShafqat Mahmood (cousin)
Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal Gujjar (cousin)
Parent
Profession
  • Businessman
  • Administrator
Websiteagipk.com

Early life and education

Born into a Gujjar family, Zaka is the son of Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf, a businessman and influential PPP politician close to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He belongs to a traditional industrial and farming family of Punjab.

Zaka is also cousin of senior PTI politician Shafqat Mahmood and senior PML-N politician Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal Gujjar.[3]

Zaka has been associated with Pakistan Peoples Party since 1970, under the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. While he was in college, he developed close ties with future politician Asif Ali Zardari, due to their similar political views.[4] After passing out from Petaro, he took his bachelor's degree, and then joined his father in his business.

Ashraf is an alumnus of the Sadiq Public School, Bahwalpur, and the Cadet College Petaro,[5] from where he graduated in 1973.

Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board

He was appointed as the chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board on 15 October 2011 by the President of Pakistan[6] and took the charge on 27 October 2011.[7] However, on 10 February 2014, the Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif dissolved the PCB governing board and sacked him from the chairmanship of PCB.[8] In August 2012, he was elected as chairman Development Committee of Asian Cricket Council.[9]

Suspension by the Court

On 28 May 2013, the Islamabad High Court stopped Zaka Ashraf from working as Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman on the petition of that the election of Zaka as PCB chairman was malafide by the former coach of Pakistan Cricket team.[10] Moreover, the IHC had barred him from performing his duties on the grounds that the process of his election was not transparent. On 24 June 2013, the case adjourned till further notice.

Re-appointment

The Islamabad High Court reinstated Zaka Ashraf as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board on 15 January 2014. The decision to reinstate Ashraf was taken by a two-member division bench consisting of Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi and Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan. The court accepted the intra-court appeal against the decision by a single-member bench of IHC consisting of Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui. On 19 July 2013, the Islamabad High Court had declared the appointment of Ashraf "illegal" and directed the acting PCB chief Najam Sethi to hold elections within 90 days.[11]

Third term

In June 2023, he was nominated by Pakistan Peoples Party for the position of chairman PCB opposite to Najam Sethi.[12] On 20 June 2023, Najam Sethi announced his withdrawal from PCB chairmanship race.[13] On the same day, Zaka Ashraf was appointed as the member of the Pakistan Cricket Board Board of Governors.[14] On 6 July 2023, he assumed his role as the Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board by replacing Najam Sethi.[15][16]

References
  1. Desk (Lahore), Web (5 July 2023). "Zaka Ashraf appointed Chairman of new PCB Management Committee". Pakistan Observer. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  2. "Zaka Ashraf named chairman of new PCB management committee". cricketpakistan.com.pk. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  3. "Marriage of Convenience". BOL News. 7 August 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2023. Shafqat Mahmood of the PTI is the cousin of the PPP's Zaka Ashraf [...] Gujjar is also a cousin of Shafqat Mahmood.
  4. "Chairman - Ashraf Group of Industries". agipk.com. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  5. "Zaka Ashraf profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  6. "Zaka Ashraf confirmed as PCB chairman". ESPNcricinfo. 13 October 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  7. "Zaka Ashraf appointed PCB chairman". The Express Tribune. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
  8. "PCB governing board dissolved, chairman Zaka Ashraf sacked ..." The News. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  9. "Radio Pakistan- NewsDetail". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  10. "IHC stops Zaka Ashraf from working as PCB chariman". The Express Tribune. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  11. Umar Farooq (31 January 2014). "Pakistan Cricket News: Pakistan government withdraws petition against Zaka Ashraf". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  12. Abbasi, Kashif (8 June 2023). "Race to be elected PCB chief hots up". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  13. "Najam Sethi withdraws from PCB chairmanship race". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  14. Ghaffar, Tahir Sherani | Abdul (20 June 2023). "Zaka Ashraf, Mustafa Ramday approved as PCB's Board of Governors members". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  15. "Zaka Ashraf named chairman as federal govt forms new PCB Management Committee". www.geosuper.tv. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  16. "Zaka Ashraf assumes charge as Chair of PCB Management Committee". www.pcb.com.pk. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
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