PCB refutes allegations of financial misdeeds

PCB has described a report appearing in Dawn on 14th August by Ali Kabir entitled "PCB,s financial misdeeds exposed" as highly inaccurate, motivated and unethical, whose sole purpose appears to be to tarnish the image of the board and create

Pakistan Cricket Board

14-Aug-2002

The above report is in continuations of an earlier report of July 5, 2002 by the same author, which had been responded to by PCB in detail and rebutted on all the points raised. Yet the writer has instead of following professional ethics to ascertain facts and seeking information, before hand has chosen to come out with an inaccurate, motivated version, based mostly on assumptions rather than solid facts.

A point-by-point reply to the points raised in the above factually inaccurate and inspired report by Ali Kabir is as following :-

The accounts of the "Pakistan's Home series against West Indies at Sharjah" - were being reconciled with CBSF, who handled it on behalf of a PCB, and some payments have already been received including that of appearance money.

The writer has conveniently confused UAE Dirhams with US $ Dollars while referring to visa fees, and thus inflating the amount which was paid by the CBFS for members of two teams and all officials visiting Sharjah for the Tour. The same formula he has applied on the hotel accommodation provided to the two teams and all the visiting officials, which was stated as US Dollars 2,47,500/- instead of UAE Dirhams.

The payment made by the "Ten Sports" to PCB was on behalf of CBFS, which is their sister concern and pertained to the amount receivable from the PTV, and it relates to their TV rights for the series.

Mohammad Bashir is the senior groundsman of PCB whose services were acquired by CBFS to prepare the pitches at Tangier and all his expenses were to be paid by them. Zakir Hussain Syed, who was the Secretary of ACC, was invited alongwith his wife by CBFS, to witness Sharjah Matches. The payment of air tickets was made by PCB on behalf of CBFS and accordingly recovered subsequently.

PCB reiterates that it was maintaining complete transparency in all its dealings and also expects that the national press will cooperate by verifying their facts before publishing reports as per the professional ethics to avoid publication of unsubstantiated and inaccurate information in their newspapers.

Khalid Butt
Media Manager
14 August 2002

Pakistan