ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Saturday agreed to hear an appeal by the federal government challenging a lower court’s decision to reinstate Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Zaka Ashraf.

Zaka was suspended eight months ago over allegedly dubious elections.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif-led government appointed an Interim Management Committee to oversee the PCB but Zaka was reinstated by an appellate bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) earlier this month.

In the latest twist of an ongoing legal drama, the Supreme Court has now allowed a challenge to that ruling by the federal government to go ahead with the hearing expected to start on Monday.

Court sources said a three-man bench under Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani had been formed to hear the case.

Irfanullah Khan, a lawyer for the IMC, confirmed the Supreme Court had agreed to hear the appeal.

“The petition challenging Zaka’s reinstatement has been accepted by the Supreme Court and is likely to be heard on Monday,” Irfanullah said.

The petition pleaded that the decision by the appellate bench be set aside and that the IMC be restored in its place, he added.

The protracted legal wrangling has badly damaged Pakistan cricket’s reputation since it first became public last May.

It comes as the PCB looks to appoint a new coach to replace Dav Whatmore whose two-year tenure ended last week.—AFP