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WEEKLY
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| PAC asks PCB to resolve internal issues |
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Sunday, November 22, 2009
From our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) headed by Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan expressed serious reservation over the working of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in wake of the Auditor General’s report of the last five years, instructing the board to settle the objections in Departmental Audit Committee (DAC) before approaching for final action.
The PAC chairman made these observations after going through the majority of objections raised by the Auditor General of Pakistan.
“The committee has got all the powers to transfer, suspend or arrest the culprit, found guilty for misappropriations of funds. However, before passing on any judgment, we would ask all the concerned individuals to take up the matter in DAC as there are reports of lack of coordination and cooperation in reaching a conclusion.”
Nisar asked the PCB chairman to extend full support and cooperation to the auditors in reaching the conclusion for each of the objections raised in the report.
The committee members were surprised to know that the PCB constitution is silent when it comes to giving financial powers to the chairman. “The PCB chairman issued orders for delegation of financial and administrative powers to PCB officials while retaining unlimited powers,” the audit report says.
The PAC called for the revision of the Board’s constitution and has instructed the Ministry to make necessary arrangements in this regard. “The PCB constitution has recently been revived and was submitted with the Presidency for final approval. However, it is now back with the Ministry since the presidency wanted some adjustment.
“There are two options now available with the PCB-to make changes as pointed out by the Presidency or to make necessary adjustments in the old constitution. We are to convene a meeting shortly of all the protagonists to settle the issue once and for all,” Secretary Sports Anisul Islam said.
PCB chairman Ijaz Butt however said that the amendments proposed by the presidency were only applicable if we adopt the old divisional system.
Nisar ordered the recovery of all the outstanding dues in shape of rent from all those who used the National Cricket Academy’s (NCA) residential facilities without paying the minimal rent.
“As per procedures for guest rooms and player rooms of NCA, rent was to be charged at the rate of Rs 8000 per month from PCB staff and Rs 1500 per day from outstation officials. However, no rent has been charged from PCB officials and guests who were extended facilities at the NCA,” the audit report pointed out.
The majority of the PCB officials, their relatives, near and dear once used the facilities during the last five years and according to an estimate almost 23 thousand days rent is unaccounted for.
Objections were also raised on withdrawing of over Rs 10 million through an open cheque by two PCB officials. Though, first there was no receipt of Inzamam receiving the amount.
“On our insistence, we were provided an hand written receipt from Inzamam, who admitted taking the amount,” the auditors said.
Objections have also been raised on the leasing of properties, allotment of hospitality boxes without open competitions, wasteful expenditure of almost Rs 65 million on 33 sports stadiums around the country almost four years back.
The auditor general also raised serious observations on the irregular payment of Rs 4.45 million for the printing and publishing of Cricket History Book without floating open tenders.
Nisar ordered referring all the matters to the DAC before returning back to the Public Account Committee for further debates and action.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
