Defiant Ashraf says he is still PCB Chairman

Karachi: A defiant Zaka Ashraf on Monday said that he was still the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) despite a notification by the government, saying he would consult his lawyers as the decision to sack him violates the High Court order.

"I don`t think this notification by the government has any bearing on me being chairman. I am still chairman of the board," Ashraf told reporters at a function in Lahore. "I will be consulting my legal advisers on this matter. But apparently it looks as if this notification violates the court orders that restored me as Chairman of the board," he said. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is also the PCB patron-in-chief, today removed Ashraf as the head and constituted an 11-member ad-hoc committee to run the cricket affairs. Ashraf was reinstated as chairman of the board last month by the Islamabad High Court after filing an appeal against his dismissal in May 2013. Ashraf said he knew that the notification had suspended the Governing board but said it didn`t affect his position. He said that Pakistan`s standing and image in world cricket would further be damaged after the decision taken by the government. "Such decisions will only favour India which wants to isolate us. We took a principled stand on the `Big three` issue but now our position will be further weakened in the ICC and world cricket," Ashraf said. Shakil Sheikh, a member of the ad-hoc committee, said that Ashraf had been dismissed as chairman in the notification in which the constitution had been suspended. "How can he remain Chairman. The notification is with the PCB now and from today he is no longer chairman," Sheikh insisted. He said a meeting of the ad-hoc committee would be held as soon as possible to implement decisions of the government and hold elections.