06 March 2004	Saturday	14 Muharram 1425

KARACHI, March 5: Sindh Adviser on Information and Archives, Salahuddin Haider, has alleged black marketing of tickets for the one-day match to be played at National Stadium on March 13 between India and Pakistan.

In a statement released on Friday he expressed deep regrets that private contractor assigned for online sale of tickets has failed to come up to the mark resulting in complaints of irregularities and male distributions of tickets which needed to be immediately redressed.

Haider alleged that demands for VIP tickets were met through underhand deals and when he spoke to PCB chief executive Ramiz Raja he (Adviser) was told that a portion of the general enclosure has been earmarked with cushioned seats for higher slab tickets.

He cited the example of two leading club of of Karachi who wanted to buy VIP tickets of Rs.1500 each but were declined and instead offered a distant enclosure for the same amount.

He demanded that PCB conduct a thorough enquiry into ticket sales which starts from Sunday. He deplored the fact that PCB had failed in alloting Karachi a Test match as the Indian officials were misinformed due to which they went back with bad impressions of security in the city.