LAHORE: Around 140 employees working with now-defunct six Provincial Cricket Associations (PCA) of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in different roles as coaches, physio and administration staffers of these associations have been sacked, with one-month salary given on humanitarian grounds.

The suspension letters have been received by the employees concerned, it has emerged.

The suspension of the PCAs’ employees was necessary after the PCB 2019 constitution was repealed by the new interim Management Committee of the PCB, which has restored the constitution of 2014.

When the 2019 constitution was implemented, all the employees, groundsmen and curators, who had been working for then 16 regional associations, had lost their jobs. Now these 16 regional bodies have been restored.

“Since the Provincial Cricket Associations no longer exist after repeal of the 2019 constitution, all posts in these bodies stand abolished. Once regional and departmental cricket associations are revived, we will aim to absorb relevant and suitable personnel in the new cricket structure,” a PCB spokesman, when contacted, said.

“Legally, the PCB was not authorised to continue with the PCAs’ employees after the repeal of the [2019] constitution. However, the PCB on humanitarian grounds gave them one-month salary. We are going to look after everyone in the month of January. This is a goodwill gesture, “ added the spokesman.

Meanwhile, Dawn learnt that PCB’s Management Committee is facing pressure from the well-wishers of top-level PCB officials, who are also facing the threat of suspension.

Though the PCB Management Committee has also decided to slash the salaries of high officials drawing hefty packages introduced by PCB chairman Ehsan Mani in 2018, which was continued by previous chairman Ramiz Raja, saving these jobs is also challenge for the MC.

In order to save their lucrative jobs, these officials are using their well-wishers sitting in the corridors of power across the country. Therefore, several high-ranking PCB officials may succeed in retaining their jobs in the coming days, sources said.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2023