Pak Parliament to haul up PCB

Dissatisfied with World Cup preparations, a joint session is set to seek answers

Dissatisfied with Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) functioning, National Assembly and Senate standing committees on sports and culture will hold a joint session on Friday to question the PCB authorities on the team’s chances in the World Cup.

Outspoken Senator Enver Baig said one could judge just how seriously Parliamentary committees were taking the issue of cricket affairs by the fact that this was a joint session.

“Definitely, we see the cricket scenario as a grave one. We are not satisfied with either the team’s performance, the way teams have been selected or the manner in which the Pakistan Cricket Board is being managed these days,” he said.

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“We want to know what chances do we really have of doing well in the coming World Cup after all it is a mega event and the entire nation is looking forward to it. Cricket has always been a matter of national interest for everyone,” he said.

In the past also the National Assembly and Senate Commitee’s have held such sittings for cricket matters but so far have not been able to force any results. But Baig promised this time it would be different. “There must be an element of accountability for those running cricket affairs in the country,” he added.

But PCB Chairman Naseem Ashraf may skip the hearing. A source in the Board confirmed that Ashraf would not be attending the joint session and instead had asked the director of cricket operations, Saleem Altaf to face the music. “Altaf has been told to answer all questions put forward by the Parliamentary committees,” the source said. With teams’ preparations for the World Cup not up to the mark due to fitness and other problems with the main players, fans are worried about its chances.