ISLAMABAD, May 21: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has requested the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to allot a television channel for sports. In a letter to Shahid Rafi, secretary of the ministry, PCB chairman Shaharyar M. Khan has made the request for the channel for sports projection in general and cricket in particular.

“A sports channel would respond to the huge public demand in Pakistan for sports coverage on television,” the PCB official wrote.

The board wants to either have the channel to itself or share it with other sports like hockey, tennis, squash, athletics and soccer etc.

“The PCB has the financial capital to play a lead role in setting up and running this sports channel and would therefore be prepared to take the initiative in setting up a PCB channel.”

The view of the board is that other sports organisations in Pakistan do not have the financial strength to sponsor such a channel.

“The PCB would be glad to interact with these organisations so that a sports channel could be launched.”