KARACHI, 2 January 2004 — The chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Rameez Raja said recently that there were little chances of India’s tour to Pakistan, early next year, being derailed due to security concerns.
“I have received messages from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Secretary Ashraful Haq and Indian board President Jagmohan Dalmiya to speak to them but I don’t see any chance of India deciding against touring Pakistan for whatever reason,” Rameez was reported as sayings.
He said the only problem was over the finalization of the itinerary for the Indian tour as Pakistan wanted to have a series of seven One-Day Internationals and three Tests and India wanted five ODIs and three Tests or seven ODIs and two Tests. “The itinerary is the only area of concern. Otherwise I don’t think security is an issue despite the unfortunate incident in Rawalpindi,” he added.
The Indian media has carried stories after the assassination attempt on President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday that the Indian team members, presently in Australia, were not keen to tour Pakistan because of security concerns. The Indians are due to come in early March and remain in Pakistan till April 15, their first full tour of Pakistan since 1989.
“I don’t think we are going to sacrifice any part of the Indian tour to Pakistan which means a lot to us financially for the hosting of the Asia Cup. We want seven ODIs and three Tests and any reduction in these matches means a loss in earning of several million dollars,” the Rameez said.
The Indian board’s working committee is due to meet in Calcutta on Jan. 2 to finalize the itinerary for the Pakistan tour. The Pakistan board is expecting to earn over $20 million by hosting the series against India.
Meanwhile, Shaharyar Khan, the new Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was honest enough to admit that the attack on Musharraf in Rawalpindi had created some concerns.
“No doubt what happened in Pindi is a major cause of concern for everyone and it is not good for the country at all. I can understand if the Indians have any concerns about touring Pakistan. But it is too early to say they will not come,” he said.
Shaharyar a career diplomat himself with 30 years service in the Foreign Ministry is well placed to understand the repercussions the incident could have in the long term and the fresh security concerns it would have generated in the international community and neighboring countries about Pakistan.
But he insisted that so far the Indian board had not indicated at all that they were concerned about touring Pakistan. “At the moment we are carrying out negotiations with them on the tour itinerary. But I would say if the SAARC summit is held on schedule in Islamabad in January than the Indian tour should go ahead smoothly.”
“The tour by the Indians is of great political importance for both countries and is just not a cricket tour,” he added.
Shaharyar, since taking over as chairman, meanwhile, made it clear that he was not satisfied with the way some of the Board affairs had been conducted in recent years and announced a number of measures aimed at reorganizing the board and removal of flaws in constitutional issues.
The most significant announcements in Karachi was the formation of a committee of independent experts who will evaluate and vet all the contracts signed during Lt. Gen. (retd) Tauqir Zia’s four-year tenure and that he would be forming a six to eight member advisory panel soon to give him advice and suggestions for the betterment of Pakistan cricket and the board.
He also confirmed that soon changes in the board would be visible as part of his policy to run the board like a industry by having qualified professionals to do various jobs and to have public accountability and transparency in administrative, financial and constitutional matters.
Shaharyar said as a result of the study of contracts the board didn’t want to be dragged into several court cases. “We just want to ensure all the contracts signed were necessary and properly awarded and are beneficial to the board and Pakistan cricket. If the committee, which will consist of a independent legal advisor, marketing man and financial experts, finds the contracts were okay they would be honored and welcomed. “If we find any case of financial irregularity than it becomes a criminal case and would be handled accordingly. And if a contract is challenged in court we have our legal team to contest the matter in court. But I am not saying something irregular took place in the previous board. I am not making assumptions,” Shaharyar said.
But he admitted they were areas of concerns over the manner in which some issues were dealt with in the recent months and gave the example of the contract entered into by the board with a UK based company for supply of clothing and playing kits for the Pakistan team.
“The company, the deal was entered into, is not recognized by the International cricket council (ICC) and it has not approved of the deal so we are facing problems. What we have found in this situation was the deal had been signed in haste.”
He than pointed out that he could not understand why big stadiums had been built in places like Multan and Abbotabad when it was known that the ICC had laid down clear regulations that international matches could only be held at venues which had five star hotels or equal accommodation for teams.
But to a question Shaharyar also insisted that his statement was not an indictment of the working of the board under Tauqir Zia. “We are just having a second look at some areas of concern.”
