PCB chairman election: Lahore High Court lifts stay order

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday gave the government the go-ahead to conduct elections for the coveted post of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, withdrawing its injunction against the poll.

The order came after Justice Anwaar Hussain heard all the arguments. He then pronounced his verdict on the petition challenging the elections.

After the verdict was announced, the court sent the consolidated petitions to Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial.

The LHC stayed the election of the chairman after suspending the notification of the Board of Governors last week.

It also issued notices to the federal government, the PCB election commissioner, and others.

In the petition of one Malik Zulifqar, it was contended that Chief Election Commissioner Shahzad Farooq Rana had made several changes to the list of the BoGs, which was finalised by the interim management committee on June 20.

It alleged that the act of the chief election commissioner was "illegal".

The petition implored the court for a stay order in this regard, which the court granted.

It is pertinent to mention that last week, the Balochistan High Court also stopped the election of the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, pending further orders.

Earlier, the PCB postponed the elections for its new chairman after a stay order was issued by the Balochistan High Court's two-member bench last week.

Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Amir Nawaz issued an order to stop the elections till July 17.

Because of the Eid ul Adha holidays and the two weeks of summer vacation for the court, the court will resume listening to the arguments on July 17.