Javed explains ad hoc committee's task (18 July 1999)

18 July 1999

Javed explains ad hoc committee's task

The Dawn

Lahore, July 17: Javed Zaman Khan has said that the newly-appointed Pakistan Cricket Board ad hoc committee has been assigned the task of streamlining affairs of the game in the country.

Talking to Dawn on Saturday evening, a member of the committee headed by Mujib-ur-Rahman said that top priority would be given for holding fresh elections of all affiliated associations after a scrutiny of bogus clubs. He said that discipline in the Pakistan team will be maintained at all cost and cricket in educational institutions will be revived.

President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar, in his capacity as patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed the two-member ad hoc committee on July 16 to replace the set-up headed by Khalid Mahmood.

Javed Zaman said that winning elections with the support of bogus clubs was the major problem which had been ruining the cricket at the level of the associations. He said that only the genuine clubs could vote for genuine associations.

In his capacity as a member of the scrutiny committee headed by Major-General (retd.) Safdar, the present ad hoc committee member Javed Zaman had scrutinised clubs throughout the country but its report had been dumped. He assured that the report and the other job of streamlining things of Pakistan cricket would be implemented in letter and spirit within a year.

While replying to a question about Pakistan team's dismal performance in the seventh World Cup final against Australia, Javed Zaman said that the ad hoc committee would discuss it after receiving report from manager Dr Zafar Altaf.

"The bad performance in the final looked to be the result of mismanagement by the team management," Javed Zaman opined.

Asked whether the committee will also investigate the gambling allegations levelled on the Pakistan team during the World Cup, Javed Zaman said "No".

"The one-man judicial commission headed by Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum and Ehtesab Bureau are already investigating into these allegations. Therefore, we do not need to take any step in this regard", Javed Zaman said.

Earlier, talking to mediamen at the Bagh-i-Jinnah, Javed Zaman said that the PCB ad hoc committee will act on the recommendations of the inquiry commission. Mentor of many Test cricketers and a first-class cricketer himself, Javed Zaman said in his opinion, bad bowling by the Pakistan team in the World Cup final, particularly in the opening overs, caused the biggest damage.

"You can be thrashed in the slog overs, but not in the opening overs", Javed Zaman told the mediamen.

Javed Zaman said that the Pakistan "A" team for the tour of Holland and Denmark had been selected. Javed Zaman said that he had no information about any "pilferage of any funds" in the PCB.

Replying to a question, Javed Zaman said that ad hoc committee chairman might not be a famous cricketer but he was a good administrator.

Source :: The Dawn (www.dawn.com)