LAHORE, June 7: Ad hoc chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shaharyar M. Khan admitted on Tuesday that Lt Gen Arif Hasan, a member of the Advisory Committe has quit. Gen Arif Hasan tendered his resignation some three months back. No reason was given for his decision to quit.

Shaharyar who recently returned from visits to West Indies and England said that the advisory committee of the board would meet on June 10 to finalize a comprehensive plan to prepare the players of ‘A’ team ready as back-up of the Pakistan team.

He said that according to a report of coach Bob Woolmer, who witnessed the Pakistan ‘A’ team matches in Namibia, the players lacked in fitness and fielding areas and needed special efforts to overcome those shortcomings.

“Woolmer told me that the boys are talented and after removing shortcomings in fitness and fielding they could be available for the Pakistan team,” he said.

The committee, he added, would also discuss the plus and minus points of the last domestic season to take further decision to make it more beneficial and would take a decision about the next ‘central contract’ with the players.

“The last contract paid positive results and we will retain it with the formula based on experience-cum-performance,” he said.

The committee would also discuss the new plans about the coaching in the National Cricket Academy and in nine Regional Academies.

Asked about the two big cricket associations of the country — LCCA, KCCA — who raised their voices against some clauses of the new constitution and warned they would seek legal recourse, the chairman said that “If they go to the court we will see accordingly.”

The constitution restricts a person to two-terms for any office of the city association besides disallowing politicians and government servants to contest the elections.

“It is necessary to change those people who are holding the offices of the city associations for the last 25 years despite serving nothing,” he said.

Shaharyar said that the PCB was considering different ideas to launch such a programme which would keep legendary medium-pacer Fazal Mahmood in the minds of young cricketers.

“Launching of Fazal Mahmood’s scholarship in the National Cricket Academy or naming the academy with Fazal’s name are two useful ideas,” he said.