RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is defaulting on the payment of about Rs30 million to the city district government Rawalpindi (CDGR), affecting sports activities in the city.

According to documents available with Dawn, the Pindi Cricket Stadium was leased out to the PCB in 2007.

Under an agreement with the district administration, the PCB was to pay Rs45,000 per month rent for the stadium.

A source in the district government said the rent was supposed to be spent on the improvement of sports facilities in the city.

However, the PCB never paid any installment of the rent, creating problems for the district government.

On Tuesday, the district sports officer wrote a letter to the PCB requesting it to clear the outstanding rent.

The letter stated: “Despite repeated requests, the rent of the stadium is not being paid since 2007. As per clause 4, it was agreed that the rent shall be paid by the PCB as assessed by the district assessment committee.”

It added: “The committee evaluated the rent of Rs450,000 per month which is quite fair and justified for the ground, stairs and pavilions.”

The letter said it was also agreed in the agreement that: “The office of the sports officer etc., in the stadium shall continue to be used as such.”

But contrary to the agreement, the PCB was not allowing the district government to hold the office in the stadium.

When contacted, PCB spokesman Amjad Hussain said he had no knowledge about the agreement.

He, however, said the PCB was in contact with the district coordination officer Rawalpindi for inking a lease agreement under which the PCB will pay Rs100,000 per year.

The spokesman said PCB’s request for inking the agreement was pending in the DCO office.

Speaking to Dawn, DCO Sajid Zafar Dal confirmed that the previous agreement was never honoured by the PCB. He, however, said that recently the PCB had sent a new proposal for inking an agreement.

The DCO said the PCB had proposed the Rs100,000 per year in line with the rent it had been paying for other stadiums in the country.

“We will accommodate the PCB as much as we can,” he added.