Pakistani Government Requests Six-Month Record from Pakistan Cricket Board

The federal government of Pakistan has once again requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to provide records of the six-month period when journalist Najam Sethi served as the chairman of the PCB managing committee, spanning from December 22, 2022, to June 19, 2023.

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Sources indicate that the PCB has been hesitant to share this information with the government, despite multiple reminders from the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination.

The ministry has reportedly sent five letters to the PCB Chief Operating Officer (CEO), Salman Naseer, seeking details regarding the hiring process during Sethi’s tenure. This includes information about individuals, including coaches, appointed on either a contractual or permanent basis.

The ministry has also requested a breakdown of all expenses incurred during Sethi’s term, including those related to the management committee members. Additionally, they have asked for information on all agreements signed during that period. The board has been given until July 4 to provide these details. This marks the fifth reminder sent to the PCB, with previous letters dispatched on May 16, June 2, June 13, and June 22.

A copy of the reminder has also been forwarded to the Prime Minister’s office.

Najam Sethi’s management committee was appointed on December 22, 2022, with the mandate of restoring the 2014 PCB Constitution. This move came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif dismissed Ramiz Raja as the PCB chairman following Pakistan’s 3-0 test series whitewash by England.

The committee was tasked with overseeing the affairs of the PCB until elections were held for the PCB chairman within the subsequent four months. However, on April 24, PM Shehbaz granted a two-month extension to the management committee. Najam Sethi, however, stepped down as the head of the PCB on June 19, three days prior to the end of his term, and announced his withdrawal from the race for the board chairman position.

Amid speculation surrounding Sethi’s successor, the election for the PCB chairman was initially scheduled for June 27. However, on that day, the election was postponed until July 17 by a division bench of the Balochistan High Court (BHC) in response to a petition filed by Gul Mohammad Kakar, a former member of the PCB management committee. The petitioner urged the court to halt the chairman’s election and suspend the Board of Governors (BoG) until a verdict was reached on his petition.