I have been vindicated: Zaka Ashraf

Karachi: Elated at being reinstated as Pakistan Cricket Board chief by the Islamabad High Court, Zaka Ashraf said he feels vindicated by the decision.

Zaka had filed an appeal against his dismissal by the single bench of the IHC headed by Justice Shaukat Siddiqui in July last year. Justice Siddiqui, while ruling the election of Ashraf in May as malafide, had removed him as Chairman with immediate effect after which the government appointed Najam Sethi as acting Chairman of the board. Later, an interim management committee to run cricket affairs and hold fresh elections was also set up. "I always had faith in the justice system and I have been vindicated today," Ashraf told reporters in Lahore. "I hope everybody accepts this court decision whole heartedly and gracefully," he added. Ashraf said he would now act according to the full judgement of the court and take charge of office soon. "Pakistan cricket has lot of talent and during my tenure lot of improvement was witnessed and I will continue to work in same direction," he said. The legal counsel for Ashraf, Afnan Karim Kundi told Geo News channel that as per the operative part of the IHC divisional bench judgement the interim management committee had ceased to exist now. "As per court orders Zaka Ashraf can take immediate charge of office and start work according to the judgement of the court today," Kundi said. He said the appeals of the PCB and government had also been upheld in part. Interestingly, soon after the court judgement came out the PCB delayed announcing its squad for the ICC junior World Cup which was due to be done on Wednesday. "The squad will now be announced after two to three days and we have requested the ICC to give us an extension of two to three days," a spokesman said.