MEETING ON NEW CONSTITUTION: PCB chief’s absence irks NA body members

ISLAMABAD: The members of National Assembly Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) took strong exception of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani’s absence from the meeting for the second time in succession, directing the concerned ministry to ensure his presence in the next meeting scheduled to be held within a month time.

The meeting was convened to discuss the PCB’s new constitution in its real framework and question PCB chairman and Chief Executive Wasim Khan’s on their perks and privileges. In a recent report, the PCB has furnished details of Ehsan Mani’s expenditures in one year according to which his trips, boarding and lodging cost the board almost Rs10 million.

“We want to discuss these important issues. The perks and privileges of the PCB’s chairman and CEO were also on the agenda. Yet again both stayed away from the meeting. In protest, I would not attend the meeting”, Iqbal Mohammad Ali, one of the active members of the committee, said.

The MNA added that all the members of committee skipped their important domestic engagements to ensure their presence in the meeting.

“There is no National Assembly’s meeting yet we have ensured our presence in the meeting taking an early flight from Karachi. Why the PCB chairman and CEO did not attend the meeting second time in succession,” he said.

Chairman of the committee Agha Hassan Bloch directed the ministry to ensure their presence next time as it was a must to answer the questions and concerns of the respected MNAs.

Mohammad Ali claimed that new PCB constitution was framed only to adjust near and dear ones.

“Seven of the ten Governing Board members under this new constitution will be non-elected. Those having good connections will become members of this new non-democratic PCB’s Governing Board.”

PCB Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmed, who was present in the meeting, was termed a scapegoat.

“He has become a scapegoat for the PCB. He has no authority under the new constitution so he would not be of any worth when it comes to answering on policy matters,” MNAs said.