Zaman initiates plan to cut ‘financial burden’

PCB secretary meets Sethi, seeks details about employees’ job descriptions.

KARACHI: Amir Tariq Zaman, appointed as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) secretary, began his initiative to expel illegal and unnecessary employees as he made his first visit to the board’s headquarters yesterday.

Zaman met PCB’s Caretaker Chairman Najam Sethi and sought job descriptions and details of all the officials currently employed by the board.

The ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) last week appointed Zaman, an additional secretary of the DMG Group, as the PCB secretary in compliance with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) order.

He has been given the job of weeding out unnecessary employees including the ones assumed to have been appointed illegally during Zaka Ashraf’s tenure.

“We will remove all PCB officials who have no utility,” said Irfanullah Khan, the IPC legal adviser who accompanied Zaman during the meeting.

“Anyone who is a financial burden on the board will be shown the door — especially the ones who are here due to political appointments.

“We had a useful and constructive meeting with the PCB chief. We have sought details about employees — parameters of their utility and their job description. The purpose behind this is to save money for the promotion of cricket.”

Khan added that there was no particular time frame set to get the job done, but the target was to bring things in order as soon as possible.

‘Low-salaried employees not our target’

Khan said it will be ensured that the low-salaried staff will not be affected by the process.

“We will take into account the humanitarian aspects,” said Khan. “All decisions will be made on merit.”

However, the official hinted that big names, which could include the coach, would not be spared if the decisions according to the court are not in their favour.

He further hoped the International Cricket Council (ICC), which objects to government interference, will approve.

“We are doing it in compliance of the order received by the honourable court. The ICC will also prefer that the money is instead spent on the promotion of cricket.”

It should be mentioned that several senior PCB officials are expected to be affected once this campaign begins.

Meanwhile, amid the scenario, former captain Javed Miandad who is serving as the PCB’s director general offered to resign in a bid ‘to save jobs of low-salaried staff’.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd,  2013.

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.