October 23, 2006	Monday	Ramazan 29, 1427

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LAHORE, Oct 22: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is unlikely to undertake plans for initiating mega projects worth Rs2.5 billion to improve infrastructure for holding the ICC Champions Trophy in 2008 and the 2011 World Cup.

Pakistan is the sole host of the next Champions Trophy while is the co-host for the World Cup with India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The previous management of PCB, headed by Shaharyar M. Khan, succeeded in procuring rights of the two events.

To increase the seating capacity in different stadia and building new infrastructure the PCB had finalized a huge budgetary expenditure of Rs2.5 billion but before it could start the work on the projects, Shaharyar was replaced by Dr Nasim Ashraf as PCB head on Oct 6.

The new chairman in principal has decided to review all the projects.

A decision to this effect is likely to be taken in the next PCB ad hoc committee meeting to be held on Nov 10, sources told Dawn.

Among the projects, a new stadium in Islamabad was significant. But after the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had demanded a huge amount of Rs320 million to give a piece of land on lease to the PCB, the project came to a halt during Shaharyar's tenure.

The other major projects include the building of Karachi Cricket Club at a cost of Rs950 million, the upgradation of National Stadium and Qadhafi Stadium at a total cost of Rs800 million.