LAHORE, July 16: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia said on Wednesday that he was not bothered about criticism on the nomination of the provincial cricket associations office-bearers, instead of holding elections to fill the posts.

“I have no need to cater to the desire of others, let them speak” said the PCB chief at a press conference while announcing the names of officials of the four provinces.

Lahore and Karachi, country’s two biggest centres, have voiced their resentment against the nominations which they claimed were undemocra-tic and unconstitutional. “Some presidents showed their reserva-tions but 90 percent agreed with the new system”, he said.

The chairman stressed that the board picked those officials for the provincial bodies who had good standing in their provinces.

 “The heads of the provincial setups are experienced stalwarts with honourable record as administrators and organisers. The PCB is confident that their presence and active support would be helpful in developing and promoting the game in every corner of the country.

He said that the nominations were also necessary because the post of election commissioner did not exist in the Pakistan Cricket Board constitution but added that in the next constitution a clause about election commissioner would be added.

He said that initially PCB wanted to run the new setup of the provincial bodies for one year and then PCB would hold elections. But the trial period of the nominated bodies could be extended.

He said that PCB would bear the expenses of the provincial associations for one year and after it these bodies would be responsible to run their offices by their own resources.

Elaborating the responsibilities of the provincial bodies, he said that the basic task was the promotion of cricket with the collaboration of Pakistan Cricket Board. The provincial bodies would have their own selection committee and would deal with the affairs of regions and district.

The provinces would be liable to generate funds through sponsors and also run the inter-school, inter-club and inter-district cricket. The provinces would also be responsible to hold international matches in the forthcoming season.

“The PCB will sign memorandum of understanding (M O Us) with the provincial associations and 70 percent of the earnings from every match will go to the provincial associations who will be responsible for equal distribution of the profits amongst city/district associations.

This is being done to financial-ly support and assist cash-strap-ped smaller city/district associations”, Tauqir said.

PCB legal advisor Syed Asghar Haider while replying to a question said that the board was empowered to create the provincial set up under its Article 4(a), (b), (g) and (p) of the constitution of the PCB, read in conjunction with Article 44.

Following nominations were announced for each provincial cricket associations:

Sindh Provincial Cricket Association: President: Hasib Ahsan. Vice-president: S.M.A Shah. Secretary: Aslam Sanjrani. Treasurer: Zahid Bashir. Members will be announced later.

NWFP Provincial Cricket Association: President: Anwar Zeb Jan (Peshawar). Senior-vice-president: Maazullah Khan. Vice-president: Dr Tariq (Mardan). Secretary: Jalil Khan (Nowshera). Treasurer: Nisar Mohammad Khan. Members: Maqsood Kundi (Dera Ismail Khan), Wasim Sheikh (Abbotabad), Fazle Malik Oragzai (Parachinar).

Punjab Provincial Cricket Association: President: Ijaz Butt. Vice-president: Bilal Ahmad. Secretary: Captain Syed Naseer Ahmad. Treasurer: Pervez Masood. Members: Zahid Khan Burki (Multan),  Abubakar  Naeem (Lahore),  Azhar  Majeed  Sheikh (Faisalabad), Ashraf Qureshi (Rawalpindi), Khawar Anwar Khawaja (Sialkot). A member from Azad Kashmir to be named shortly.

Balochistan Provincial Cricket Association: President: Nawabzada Aminullah Raisani. Senior-vice-president: Yawar Aziz.  Vice- president: Mohammad Khan Marri. Secretary: Tariq Baloch. Members: Abdul Rehman Baloch, Mohammad Khair. Another member to be named shortly.