KARACHI, Dec 9: Chairman designate of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Shaharyar M. Khan, said late Tuesday night that his desire was to ensure a smooth running of the board affairs.

According to insiders, the ex-foreign secretary has indicated that only a democratic setup would allow the PCB — run on ad hoc basis since 1999 — to operate efficiently with all cricket associations given their due constitutional rights.

The new PCB chief, insiders said, wants the administration to be clean, sincere and dedicated to the cause of Pakistan cricket. He said that since there was a huge amount of money involved in the game, the public had every right to know where it was being spent.

Regarding changes in the cricket board, the chairman designate remarked they were inevitable. But he would only act on principle before taking necessary decisions.

Mr Shaharyar is expected to meet President Pervez Musharraf shorty before he takes charge next week.