PCB interim body members accuse Zaka of unconstitutional steps

LAHORE: Strongly expressing their concerns over the functioning of Pakistan Cricket Board’s Interim Management Committee, Mustafa Ramday and Zulfiqar Malik, who are sitting members of the incumbent PCB set-up, have alleged that illegal and unconstitutional steps are being taken by the provisional regime led by Zaka Ashraf.

Talking to Dawn on Thursday, Ramday said that he had written several times to Zaka to work in accordance with the PCB constitution and remain within the domain, given to him by the prime minister.

“The [present] PCB chairman is allowed to deal with the day-to-day affairs but under this umbrella [of day-to-day affairs] a good number of appointments have been made in the PCB,” said Ramday, who was the second nominee along with Zaka of the prime minister, who was eligible to contest the elections of PCB chairman.

“Though I have raised several questions regarding the illegal activities of the PCB, I did not get a reply of even one query submitted to the PCB chairman PCB,” Ramday added.

“My second concern is that the chairman [Zaka] has failed to hold the elections of the PCB chairman which is the main task given to him. No steps have been taken yet in this regard.

“The chairman has strictly advised all the PCB staff members not to share any documents of the Board with me so I may not get to know how many new employees have been hired by the chairman,” Ramday alleged. “Nepotism and friendship are at the peak in the PCB affairs.”

To a question, Ramday said he did not write any letter to the prime minister but added, “yes, I kept the IPC secretary informed about my reservations”.

Ramday claimed that he raised his voice from PCB’s forum much before Zulfiqar, who also sent his reservations to the prime minister against the alleged wrongdoings of the PCB.

It may be mentioned here that the PM as patron of the PCB has to decide on Nov 5 whether to replace Zaka or retain him, as the four-month tenure of the incumbent chairman is ending on the said date.

It is learnt that the IPC had moved a summary in this regard to the prime minister.

Reacting to the development, the PCB avoided giving a response.

“Matters between the IPC [Ministry] and the PCB are internal and the PCB would not like to offer a comment on its dealings with the IPC,” the Board said. “Needless to add that there exists a constant flow of communication between the PCB and the IPC.”

Pakistan team’s performance in the ongoing ICC World Cup in India and earlier in the Asia Cup remained pathetic.

Moreover, there are other issues concerning player power and the alleged involvement of now retired chief selector (Inzamam-ul-Haq) with players’ agencies which have earned bad names for the PCB during the past four months.

Meanwhile, Zulfiqar, a member of the PCB Interim Management Committee from Sialkot, also wrote a letter to the PM, all members of the IMC and IPC secretary IPC raising objections over what he claimed were unconstitutional and wrongdoings being practised within the present PCB set-up.

The legally prescribed mandate of a PCB chairman was to manage day-to-day affairs and not take long-term decisions, Zulfiqar wrote in the letter.

“The IMC led by Mr Zaka Ashraf has not confined itself to day-to-day affairs and has taken many long-term decisions which violate the mandate given to it,” the letter read.

The main task of the interim chairman, Zulfiqar pointed out, was to hold elections of PCB chairman, but that had been totally ignored by Zaka during his tenure.

Zulfiqar also alleged that Zaka’s son, Khan Mohammad, was playing his role in PCB affairs.

The chairman also misused office of the PCB Election Commissioner on political grounds and victimised the opponents and was involved in rigging elections in some regions, Zulfiqar said in the letter.