August 28, 2008	Thursday	Sha'aban 25, 1429

LAHORE, Aug 27: Senator Enver Baig, a member of the Senate Standing Committee on Sports, has opposed the proposal from the federal sports minister of imposing ad hoc on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Criticising the proposal, Enver said the eight-year long ad hoc period — had already ruined the game of cricket and more of it could be catastrophic for the game.

“The Senate Committee on Sports fought for nearly five years against ad hocism in PCB and eventually succeeded in 2007 when the Constitution was restored. Now the sports minister is ready to impose the same undemocratic system while the government is trying to restore democracy in the country,” said Enver.

He emphasised that the PCB’s constitution should be a democratic one and all its Governing Board members including the chairman should be elected representatives. “No nominated members should be allowed in the Governing Board which tantamounts to obliging friends.”

In the existing PCB’s board of 15 members, only five are elected members while remaining nine are nominated.

Referring to reports in a section of press saying the Federal Sports Ministry had finalised a three-member ad hoc committee to run the PCB, he said it was a wrong move and could prove damaging.

Meanwhile, it has been learnt that the name of former Test captain Majid Khan was also proposed for the PCB committee but he refused as he was reluctant to be a part of an ad hoc body.

Former Test cricketer Mohammad Ilyas also warned the government not to impose ad hoc on the PCB as it had already suffered huge losses due to a similar system in the past. Ilyas said he would stage a sit-in before the parliament if such practice is repeated.