08 August 2004	Sunday	21 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

LAHORE, Aug 7: Ramiz Raja has been relieved from his post as the chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday at his own request.

This was disclosed by PCB chairman Shaharyar M. Khan at a press conference in which the following official text was read out.

"I have received, yesterday (Friday), a communication fromRamiz Raja stating that due to heavy schedule of his TV broadcasting commitments in the coming months, he would be unable to do justice to his responsibilities as CEO".

"Accordingly, he has requested to be relieved from his assignment. In fact, Ramiz had raised this issue with me since the beginning of the Asia Cup and I had asked him to reconsider his decision which he has now conveyed to me.

"I informed Ramiz that I understood the reasons for his decision. I added that he had taken an honourable course of action, given the need to advance his professional career as a television commentator.

I have accepted his decision to step down from his assignment with a personal sense of regret and express the hope that he would continue his valuable contribution to the development of cricket in Pakistan as an honorary advisor to PCB.

Ramiz replied that he would decide on his future plans after his return.

"The formalities related to the decision will be completed on Ramiz's return to Pakistan. Meanwhile, the post of CEO will be advertised according to the PCB policy.

Shaharyar warmly praised Ramiz. "I had been working with him for the last eight months and found him honest and professional.

In the beginning I had been considering his commentary job as conflict of interest but later his working with honesty impressed me," the chairman said.

When informed that Ramiz had been giving the same explanation since day one, for which he was still being criticised, why was no such decision made earlier and what forced him now to do so, Shaharyar admitted that Ramiz had read the LUMS' recommendation sought by the board according to which the post must be occupied with a full-time person.

But when asked the report had been with the board three months before why did he take the decision now, the chairman admitted thatthe board had asked him to choose - either CEO post or commentary - and he took the final decision.

The chairman said that Ramiz had not sent any writtenresignation, but his request to be relieved could be considered as alternative of the resignation.

"In the past Ramiz had been doing the commentary job fora week or a fortnight, but now it has spanned over months whichcan not be affordable," he said.

But when asked if he would have allowed him for one week's commentary despite having the LUMS' recommendation, Shaharyar said that then he might search any solution for it.

Shaharyarsaidthat he did notconsider the LUMS' recommendations as final verdict and he had rejected one of them which suggested that the PCB security officer should be of middle- rank, but he preferred a high-ranking person.

The announcement in this connection is yet to be announced.

About next CEO, he said that it was not necessary the next CEO would be a Test cricketer.

"Throughout the world such posts are running by best administrative and not by cricketers but I can consider best administrator with cricketing career as extra credentials," he said.

He said that Majid Khan, Arif Ali Khan Abbasi and all other interested persons could apply for the vacant post.

"I with an independent panel will do interview all the candidates and then make recommendations for a suitable one to the patron-in-chief for final approval," he said.

He denied the impression that inquiry headed by Senate Standing Committee on Sports put any pressure on Ramiz to quit.

PCB chief said that the board had not yet signed the contract with new coach Bob Woolmer and other foreign members of the team management.