ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday declared the elections of the Islamabad Regional Cricket Association (IRCA) null and void following the adjudicator’s ruling.

The controversial IRCA elections, held in March 2023, faced challenges from local cricket clubs. The adjudicator ultimately invalidated the polls, prompting the PCB to issue a notification removing all office bearers of the IRCA, headed by Shakil Shaikh, from their positions and barring them from performing any official duties.

With this development, Islamabad joins Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Multan as regional cricket bodies currently operating without elected leadership. In these regions, the absence of an appointed elections commissioner has delayed the conduction and notification of elections. For instance, although elections in Faisalabad were conducted, the official notification has yet to be issued.

It is pertinent to note that following the election of the incumbent PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi on February 6 last year, the tenure of the then-election commissioner Shah Khawar expired.

However, a successor has not yet been appointed, leaving the status of regional elections in limbo. This prolonged delay has raised serious concerns within the cricketing community.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2025