Recommends heavy fines for blundering hockey men: NA committee on sports demands ouster of PCB chief and Co
ISLAMABAD, Jan 8 The National Assembly Standing Committee on Sports has made a unanimous demand of the presidency to sack Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt and his management for their continuous poor show besides recommending heavy fines for the blundering hockey players and officials in Argentina during a recent tournament.
The committee that met here at the National Assembly Secretariat on Friday showed its concern over Pakistan's recent Test-match defeat against Australia to summon the cricket board's senior brass to explain the reasons behind the Sydney debacle.
Pakistan threw away a golden opportunity to level the Test series against Australia when they were bowled out for 139 in the second innings to present Australia with a 2-0 series win.
The NA body also demanded the removal of PCB's Chief Operations Officer Wasim Bari, Coach Intikhab Alam and the Director Cricket Operations Zakir Khan.
Over the affairs of the Pakistan hockey team, the NA body imposed financial penalties against hockey star Rehan Butt, team Manager Asif Bajwa and Coach Shahid Ali Khan over their failure to contain the team's unethical behaviour in Argentina.
Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) faced much criticism when photographs of a few team members at a party with their female liason officer in Argentina were released on the Internet.
After chairing the meeting, Jamshed Dasti told Dawn “I want Ijaz Butt to be sent to jail. He is neither mentally nor physically fit to head the PCB. Just look where we are heading in cricket.”
The blunt PPP legislator while commenting over the defeat against Australia said “Just look at our team's pathetic show Down Under.”
He added “The current PCB management has brought the game of cricket on the verge of collapse.”
Meanwhile, no PCB official was present in the meeting to defend the stark criticism of the committee members.Commenting over the affairs of the PHF, he said “We have imposed a fine of Rs100,000 against Rehan Butt for his unethical behaviour and Rs50,000 against Asif Bajwa and the national coach.
“They are all to pay the fines, receipts of which would be presented at the Ministry of Sports in the next committee meeting. Even I felt ashamed after seeing those photos,” he said.
The committee also directed the PHF to conduct an enquiry into the involvement of players in the unethical act in Argentina so that nobody in future dares cross the limit of decency and morality.
“Such players should be refrained from representing Pakistan in the future,” he said.While also commenting over the negligence of the officials who could not perform their duty during the time of attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team, the NA body showed its displeasure on the pace of implementation of recommendations of the enquiry tribunal.
The NA committee has directed the secretary establishment to expedite the process.