Ijaz Butt should leave: Senators

LAHORE: A sub-committee of the Senate Committee on Sports has blasted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over its lack of organisation and ‘incompetency’ and has recommended that the current management should be replaced in order to get Pakistan cricket back on track.

“The PCB is totally a one man show,” said Senator Tariq Azeem. “It’s always under some sort of a problem be it team selection, dispute with the contractors, and approval of the chairman in case someone wants to say something. All these things are supposed to be resolved by the chairman and if he’s absent the whole organisation gets dysfunctional.”

A meeting of the committee was held at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore for the settlement of dues to a private construction company as per contractual obligations by the PCB. “Wasim Bari had constituted a four-man committee to reconcile the issue with the contractors and each member of the PCB and the contractors had signed a document in which they agreed to settle this issue as soon as possible with the possible solutions,” said Azeem. “But with severe rue, when the PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt returned from his tour of the West Indies, he refused to agree on his own people’s agreement.

“This is very sad when such an organisation, that appoints someone to deal with the issue, the chairman returns and disagrees with what was agreed in his absence, especially when things are signed to resolve any particular issue.” However, according to the PCB, the normal practice is that any decision taken is required to be approved by the senior management of the PCB.

“This means that the board should be run like a one-man show where things will only be managed by the chairman who decides every issue and nobody in the organisation should have the right to interfere or have his say.”

Haroon Akhtar, the convenor of the sub-committee, revealed that a joint meeting between the Senate and the NA is being planned to sort out the matchfixing mess. “Lord Condon and the ICC have nothing to do with our problems. We don’t want others to interfere with our problems,” said Akhtar. “If there is a mess in our team, we ourselves will resolve it.”

The Senators also blasted senior team members on their lack of loyalty for the country.

“Our boys, particularly the senior players, got so much respect after representing Pakistan but brought the country’s name down for the sake of money which is very disappointing to hear.”

Tariq hinted out that the PCB had taken action against a few players but urged that there are some other players that should be penalised as well.

“The PCB had punished one or two players who were pointed out or named in the scandal but I think there are some other players who were left out and a proper inquiry should be held. The players should understand that God gave them a lot of respect and for the sake of money they should not exploit that respect.”

Published in the Express Tribune, May 23rd, 2010.