LAHORE: Another key official of the Pakistan Cricket Board has resigned, giving credence to the reports that more important officials at the PCB headquarters in Gaddafi Stadium will leave with ‘mutual understanding’ in the near future.

Badar Manzoor Khan, PCB’s chief financial officer, tendered the resignation one week ago and now he is working on one-month notice period which will end on Jan 31, 2020.

A PCB press release on Monday said, “Badar M. Khan, PCB’s chief financial officer, has tendered his resignation after more than eight years in the role and will be departing at the end of the month.

“Badar said: ‘After serving under five PCB chairmen since starting in July 2011, it is now time to move on and explore other opportunities. It has been a pleasure to be a part of the PCB and not only contribute in financial and commercial growth of the company, but also meet and work alongside some of the best professionals.

“I want to thank all my past and present colleagues for their support and wish the PCB future success,’” the press release quoted Badar as saying.

PCB chairman Ehsan Mani said: “Badar has been an important member of PCB’s senior management team. On behalf of the PCB, I want to thank him for his contributions and wish him well in his future endeavours.”

So far, PCB chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed, marketing head Naila Bhatti and senior general manager marketing Shoaib Sheikh have quit their job.

According to sources, veteran directors having offices at the Gaddafi Stadium who are not in comfortable position are also likely to leave.

The way these officials quietly and politely quit, however, raises some questions.

The statements emerging from these officials and the PCB at the time when they are leaving the organisation, indicate good gesture for each other.

However, if these individuals are regarded as very honest and experienced, why a prominent organisation like the PCB is allowing them to leave like this? Contrarily, if the PCB has some negative reports against these professionals, sanity suggests appropriate action should be taken.

Here it is relevant to mention that NCA director Mudassar Nazar did not seek extension to his contract ending in May 2020. Similarly, PCB’s head of social media Mohammad Ishaq, procurement manager Khurram Malik and NCA senior general manager Ali Zia have already quit their jobs quietly.

Though the PCB has launched an inquiry into the NCA affairs, there are reports that no serious efforts are being made to properly conduct the inquiry.

The PCB will soon start the process to find Badar’s successor.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2020