LAHORE: After being reinstated as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman for a second time, Zaka Ashraf declared he will not hire the services of any convicted former cricketer.

Addressing a press conference on Monday following his reinstatement by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday, Zaka also rejected the claim that the Governing Board had been rendered dysfunctional after one of its members — Shakil Shaikh of Islamabad — resigned on Sunday night.

“Definitely there should be no room for a convicted cricketer to get a job in the PCB and I will take this matter seriously that it stays like this,” said Zaka, who takes up the PCB post for an unprecedented third time.

He added: “There is however room for a tainted cricketer if no allegation is proved against him.”

Zaka’s predecessor Najam Sethi was largely criticised for hiring a number of convicted and tainted ex-cricketers, giving them two-year contracts, in his second tenure which lasted three-and-half months.

Sethi was originally given a four-month tenure as PCB chief which was due to end on June 10.

Zaka refuted claims of his critics that the PCB had become dysfunctional in the wake of Shakil’s resignation. “It may be dysfunctional for him but for us it is still functional if you see this matter in a broader perspective.”

Zaka reclaimed PCB’s top seat after two decisions were given in his favour by the IHC and said he would “be ready to meet” the prime minister if the PCB’s patron-in-chief wanted to meet him.

Asked if he could run the board without the government’s support, he replied: “God’s help is more important than anyone else’s.”

He also praised the decision of the independent court before adding, “Pakistan’s future is safe after obeying the courts’ order” and he would work “with good intentions as success can’t be earned by fraud and lies”.

Zaka said that the people who were creating obstacles for him were defaming the country. “I’m an elected chairman and if others are putting hurdles in my way, I believe they are defaming the country.”

He said that PCB’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) Subhan Ahmed and other staff was not at fault as they had to obey the orders of the PCB chairman. “The employees shouldn’t feel fear,” he added.

The IHC’s decision has also rendered the decisions taken by the management committee over the last four months “null and void” and as a result of that, the appointments made by Sethi of Waqar Younis, Moin Khan, Zaheer Abbas and Mushtaq Ahmed on different posts had been abolished.

The changes made by Sethi in district and regional cricket associations had also have no standing.

“All steps taken by Sethi have no legal status and there is no legal position of any new constitution which has been sent to the federal government for vetting,” Zaka said.

Sethi was working in different areas and had vowed to give “good news” to Pakistan cricket in the future to which Zaka said: “Sethi can share that with me and I’ll try my level best to continue working to achieve that.”

About his stance over the ‘Big Three’ issue, Zaka said that he still holds the belief that it “would destroy the game” but as Sethi had agreed on it [ICC’s takeover by the boards of India, England and Australia], he would “not take any further action which would attract controversy”.

Questioned about the allegations made by Sethi on his extravagant expenditures in the past, Zaka surprisingly said: “Lavish spending isn’t bad but being a miser is very bad.”

Zaka threw Misbah-ul-Haq’s future as captain for next year’s World Cup in doubt, saying every player would have to prove his fitness.

“There is no guarantee that a player who is fit in 2014 will be fit till 2015,” he said. “Every cricketer has to prove his fitness at the time of selection, including Misbah.”

The PCB affairs are in turmoil after quick changes at the helm during the last year in which Sethi and Zaka have both been at the top seat twice each while there are reports that the government will challenge the decision of the IHC in coming days.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2014