Govt advice a must on cricket ties with India: Najam Sethi

Published December 22, 2022
Pakistan Sports Board Chairman Najam Sethi talking to media in Lahore — DawnNewsTV
Pakistan Sports Board Chairman Najam Sethi talking to media in Lahore — DawnNewsTV

Najam Sethi, who is heading a panel governing the Pakistan Cricket Board's affairs till a chairman is elected, said on Thursday that the government's "advice has to be taken" in cricket-related matters concerning India.

Talking to the media in Lahore, he answered a reporter's question that it was "too early" for him to comment about "strategic issues" regarding India, sporting ties for which were strained further since the neighbour refused to visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023.

Sethi said that the sports board "gets guidance" from the government on the final decisions on such matters.

He added that the matter will be discussed in committee meetings and expressed his lack of in-depth knowledge regarding the decisions taken before his appointment and the reasons behind them.

India has also recently turned down the visas of the Pakistan blind cricket team for the ongoing T20 World Cup on “political grounds”.

Future aims

Sethi asserted that the board's "primary aim" would be to "correct the domestic cricket structure" as he felt that new cricketers were only being sourced from the Pakistan Super League tournament.

He also reiterated that the PCB's constitution of 2014 would be reinstated and that a "stadium is being prepared in Peshawar", promising that matches would soon take place in the city.

In response to another question, the journalist opined that at the time of his resignation in 2018, he had thought that "Imran Khan's vision would bring betterment [to Pakistan cricket]" but expressed disappointment.

Sethi said that the PCB would continue to update the media and the public about the decisions that it would make.

Opinion

Editorial

Ill omens
Updated 12 Feb, 2025

Ill omens

One wonders whether institutional leadership realises the long-term ramifications of the ongoing "remaking" of judiciary.
Sunken dreams
12 Feb, 2025

Sunken dreams

ANOTHER tragedy has struck Pakistani migrants seeking a better future. A boat capsizing off the Libyan coast has ...
Hate in India
12 Feb, 2025

Hate in India

HISTORY shows that rulers use hate speech to provoke hate crimes and ‘othering’ among communities. Indian Prime...
IMF scrutiny
Updated 11 Feb, 2025

IMF scrutiny

Strengthening foundations of the economic superstructure will help make the economy competitive and boost growth.
Shadow voices
11 Feb, 2025

Shadow voices

OVER the weekend, another ‘open letter’ addressed to the army chief and attributed to former prime minister ...
Paradise at a premium
11 Feb, 2025

Paradise at a premium

PAKISTAN’S recent triumph at the New York Travel and Adventure Show 2025, winning the Best Partner Pavilion Award,...