PCB audit report reveals Rs 500m irregularity

ISLAMABAD: Former Chairmen of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have inflicted loss of over Rs500 million to the board in the last five years by misusing their powers.

It was disclosed in a special Audit Report issued by Auditor General of Pakistan for 2003 to 2008 which to be discussed in the meeting of Public Accounts Committee to be held in the Parliament House on March 22. According to report, obtained from sources of the Auditor General,  payment of Rs. 58.2 million was paid without any solid reasons and illegally for Pak-Aus series in Feb-March 2008 in the tenure of former Chairmen of PCB, Shehrayar Khan and Naseem Ashraf.

The report said that PCB paid an additional bonus of Rs97.2 million to its employees from 2003-04 to 2007-08 against the rules and regulations. In the tenure of Dr. Naseem Ashraf, an amount of Rs70.5 million was given to PCB’s employees in terms of bonus.

According to documents, PCB installed Bio Mechanical System (VICON) in National Cricket Academy without any planning and an amount of Rs100 million was used unnecessarily. Under Basic Infrastructure Development Programme 2007-08, an amount of Rs153.4 million was utilised for the development of 22 Cricket Grounds in different districts and several irregularities were found in releasing of this amount.

PCB never completed process of tender for any project and payments were made to contractors without keeping in view nature of the work of the project and development on it.

According to documents, PCB paid Rs12.8 million to eight officers of the board in terms of overtime during ICC Champion Trophy 2008 while it was clearly stated in Employees Service Rules 2007 of PCB that the officers and employees of the board are not allowed to get overtime and Rs3.835 million was paid to Shafqat Naghmi. According to the report, an amount of Rs185.3 million was spent on the construction of Foreign End Pavilion in Qaddafi Stadium Lahore in 2008 while the board faced the loss of Rs40 million due to poor planning.

PCB did not carry out any feasibility before starting the project and contracts were awarded without issuing tenders, the Audit Reports said. Under the agreement, the contractors were to complete the construction of the pavilion till October 27, 2008.

According to the audit report, the board purchased generators worth of Rs44 million in August 2008 on lease of three years under Lease Financing and termed it unjustified step. The constitution of the PCB allows the administration of PCB to arrange money through loans, funds and aid in case of need but there was additional amount in the account of the board at the time of deal of generators.

PCB had appointed Shafqat Naghmi, an officer of DMG Group as Chief Operating Officer on April 4, 2007 on the salary of Rs4,50,000 and later he was also appointed as the consultant on Rs. 5.4 million annually.

The audit officials further said that PCB had no authority to increase salaries and incentives of any officer joined the board on deputation while Shafqat Naghmi received an amount of Rs10.7 million from PCB in terms of salaries and incentives and bonus of Rs2.258 million was also included in this amount.

The report said that PCB had appointed Shafqat Naghmi as Chief Operating Officer against rules and regulations and wrong information was provided in the National Assembly against a question raised in this regard.

The report further disclosed that the board appointed Dr. Ahsan Hameed Malik on the post of Marketing and Communication Consultant on Rs1,75,000 monthly in 2006 against rules and regulations and later he was appointed as Director Marketing on salary of Rs2,25,000 in April 2007.

The audit officials were surprised over the appointment of a MBBS doctor on the post of Director Marketing. Dr. Naseem Ashraf appointed Nadeem Akram as Director HR & Admin on Rs2,55,000 due to his (Naseem) closed relation.

According to documents, the appointment of these two officers caused loss of Rs15 million to the board. - Online

Malik, Naved allowed to play in Bangladesh

KARACHI: Pakistan gave permission Friday for banned former captain Shoaib Malik and all-rounder Rana Naved-ul-Hasan to play in a domestic Twenty20 league in Bangladesh.

Earlier this month the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) banned Malik and Naved from all forms of the game for a year and fined them three million rupees (35,000 dollars) for breaching players' code of conduct.

Local media reported both players were banned for match-fixing but the PCB has not specified the violation.

"The penalties on these players were for international cricket for the Pakistan team but they are eligible to play in domestic competitions, so they are cleared to play in Bangladesh," PCB official Wasim Bari told AFP.

Besides Malik and Naved, former captains Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf were also banned on March 10 for an indefinite period due to "infighting", after an investigation into the team's disastrous December-February tour.

Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal and Umer Akmal were also fined heavily and put on probation for six months. The players have 30 days to appeal.

The banned players are eligible, however, to compete in domestic cricket in Pakistan and in competitions abroad, like county cricket in England and private leagues in other countries. But the PCB stipulated that no player could play abroad without prior permission.

"Besides Malik and Naved some other players also applied for permission and we have an open mind on that," said Bari, PCB chief operating officer and himself a former captain.

Yousuf was cleared to play in Bangladesh earlier this week. The Twenty20 league starts later this month. Openers Imran Farhat and Taufeeq Umer have also been cleared to play in Bangladesh. - AFP

Clarke marks comeback with century

Wellington: Michael Clarke stroked an unbeaten 100 as Australia began the first Trans-Tasman Trophy Test by amassing 316 for 4 on the first day at Wellington.

The Australian vice-captain, whose break-up with his fiancee has filled the headlines for the wrong reasons, showed his class and resilience by performing on the field of play, helping steer his side to a sturdy position.

Although New Zealand had their moments, mainly good bowling from debutant Brent Arnel, who claimed the Australian openers, and fine fielding from Bradley John Watling but Clarke's unbeaten stand of 140 in just 28 overs with left-handed Marcus North – who has been under microscope following a poor home season, put Australia ahead. Earlier, Simon Katich had struck a fine 79 before a stutter of wickets brought the hosts back into the match.

Katich's was a typically watchful innings, in contrast to fellow left-handed opener Phillip Hughes, who flashed his way to an entertaining but brief 20 before edging Arnel to the slips as the delighted seamer struck on his fifth ball of Test cricket.

Ricky Ponting, after surviving a couple of top-edges, continued unscathed to lunch with Katich, who founded the boundaries gradually after a slow start. - Agencies

Naming T20 WC skipper up to Butt: Mohsin

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) chief selector Mohsin Khan said the final decision regarding naming the captain for the forthcoming ICC T20 World Championship would be taken by the board chairman Ejaz Butt. Talking to reporters after meeting Butt, Khan said naming the skipper for the upcoming important tournament was upto the PCB chief.

“I met the chairman after meeting the other members of the selection committee. We also discussed the possible captain for the mega event. He is the right person to name the captain because it is up to him,” An English daily quoted Khan as saying.

The PCB has already announced a 15-member squad for the ICC World T20 Championship to be played in West Indies from April 30 to May 16 but withheld naming the captain for the coveted tournament. - Agencies

FIFA lifts Iraq ban from int’l football

ZURICH: FIFA has lifted a ban on Iraq that excluded the country's teams and officials from taking part in international football. FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Friday that Iraq was welcomed back because its Olympic committee reversed a decision to disband the national football federation.

Blatter said FIFA worked closely with the International Olympic Committee before lifting the ban. Iraqi football officials must present FIFA with new statutes by May 31 and hold a general assembly two months later.

FIFA suspended Iraq in November because of political interference in football business. FIFA's rules require full independence of national federations. - Agencies

Malik to appeal against ban

KARACHI: Former captain Shoaib Malik has decided to appeal against the one-year ban and fine imposed on him by Pakistan Cricket Board which has accused him of faking an injury and creating disharmony in the team during the Australia tour.

Sources close to Malik said that the all-rounder was upset after receiving a two page chargesheet from the board which stated that the inquiry committee set up by the PCB had found him to be faking injury besides spreading disharmony in the dressing room during Australia tour in January-February.

Malik had held consultations with lawyers after getting the letter from the board and decided to appeal against the ban initially to the board chairman and governing council members.

"The two pages from the board state that the inquiry committee has found him guilty of creating intrigues in the team, spreading disharmony in the dressing room and also faking an ankle injury in New Zealand," a source disclosed. - PTI

Indonesia out

of 2022 FIFA World Cup race

ZURICH: Indonesia is out of the race to host the 2022 World Cup. FIFA said Friday that Indonesian bid leaders missed a deadline to produce the required government guarantees to back the project.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke says "Indonesia is not any more a candidate for 2022." Indonesia was always considered the outsider of the 11 original candidates which applied to host the tournament in 2018 or 2022.

Indonesia hosted the 2007 Asian Cup, but would have needed to invest billions of euros (dollars) building and upgrading stadiums to provide minimum 10 venues needed to host the 32-team World Cup. – Agencies