PCB affairs: absolute power corrupts absolutely

Absolute power corrupts absolutely and concentration of powers in one person or a group of persons destroys the institution. This is the whole truth, which is in vogue in the shape of ad hoc system, which negates the concept of checks and accountability.
Sport is no exception. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is the worst victim of this menace of ad hoc, which was imposed by former President Rafiq Tarar in his capacity as PCB Patron in July 1999. Ad hoc is imposed for a shorter period to correct the wrongs done by those in power, but the PCB has the unique example of experiencing this menace for the last five years with no improvement in its system.
Soon after the imposition of ad hoc, Rafiq Tarar sacked Khalid Mahmood as PCB Chairman following reports of differences and power struggle between the PCB chief and Chief Executive Majid Khan and appointed Mujib-ur-Rahman, younger brother of former Senator Saif-ur-Rahman. Then in October, 1999 when General Pervez Musharraf took over as the Chief Executive, he appointed senior bureaucrat Zafar Altaf as the PCB chief, but soon he was replaced by Lt-Gen Tauqir Zia (retd), who took some revolutionary steps to improve the cricket infrastructure in the country.
Despite the fact that Tauqir Zia was enjoying absolute power and he was expected to announce elections for the regional associations and allow the PCB to function on the democratic lines, he not only gave strength to ad hocism, he also appointed an army of directors on very high salaries along with lucrative fringe benefits. Although these directors had no experience of running a big institution like the PCB, even then they proved themselves eyes and ears of the PCB chief.
Among his appointees was Ramiz Raja as Chief Executive.
During the days of Mujib-ur-Rahman, the PCB appointed committees to conduct scrutiny of the clubs with a view to holding fresh elections in the associations. But with the change of hands in the PCB, scrutiny committees' report was dumped in the cold storage. Had Tauqir Zia studied these reports and taken a decision to announce the elections of the associations and restore the General Body and the Council, Pakistan cricket affairs could have improved long ago.
PRESSURE: However, pressure is mounting on the PCB chief to announce the long over-due elections of the association and revive the PCB Council and the General Body.
Meanwhile, the cricket associations of the country have formed an action committee to safeguard their rights, "usurped" under the guise of ad hocism, and promote the game at grassroots level.
At a recent meeting held in Lahore, the action committee was critical of the working of the PCB officials, and held them responsible for deterioration in the standard of the game.
Referring to the debacle in 2003 World Cup and shameful defeats in the recent series against India, the meeting expressed regrets over the slipping of Pakistan from number two to seven in the world ranking.
The meeting, according to newspaper reports, bitterly criticised Chief Executive Ramiz Raja for all the ills in the Cricket Board.
It referred to the alleged tussle between the PCB chief and the Chief Executive, and said in the absence of an elected Council and the General Body, there was no concept of checks and accountability.
The action committee also pinpointed alleged irregularities in financial matters, and demanded audit of PCB accounts, especially of incomes and expenditure of the recent Pakistan-India series.
The representatives of the associations said the ad hoc system had given birth to undemocratic approach of the Cricket Board officials, as they considered themselves above accountability.
Anyhow the recent contradictory statements by the PCB chief and the Chief Executive indicate that there was no coordination and unanimity of views between the two.
It is interesting to note that Shaharyar Khan himself was making contradictory statements. On the one hand he made it clear that he wanted to make revolutionary changes, including holding the long over-due elections of the associations and bringing an end to ad hocism in the Cricket Board, and on the other he said there would be no change in the present PCB set-up.
This stance of the PCB chief creates doubts among circles, who believe that Shaharyar will maintain status quo till the time President Musharraf summons him for the proposed meeting.
Since revival of the Council and the General body does not suit the temperament of the Chief Executive, he is believed to have decided to quit as the Chief Executive.
Unlike Majid Khan, who was unpopular for his arrogance and self-centred attitude, Ramiz Raja is diplomatic and believes in public relationing, which helped him survive for over four years as PCB Chief Executive. He is allowed to continue his job with a bank, and television commentator and expert simultaneously.
The present situation is no different from the scenario of 1998 when the then PCB Chairman Khalid Mahmood and Chief Executive Majid Khan were at loggerheads.
ABBASI'S VIEWS: Meanwhile, a newspaper report quoted former PCB Chief Executive Arif All Khan Abbasi as saying the ad hoc bodies have been betraying the PCB Patron for the last five years by not briefing him on the consequences of ad hocism.
Abbasi, who was speaking at a Meet-the-Press programme organised by the Sports journalists Association of Lahore (SJAL), noted that since the PCB Patron was busy in other pressing engagements, it was the duty of the ad hoc body chairman to apprise him of the overall impact of ad hocism on the game, but instead they had been enjoying their tenure "by keeping him in the dark."
Abbasi asked for what purpose Shaharyar Khan had appointed a committee to frame the PCB constitution, and said: "It is the duty of the General Body to make the constitution and not any constitutional committee."
He said that all the ills in the country's cricket had developed due to non-existence of general body. "There is no auditor to check the accounts of the board, no institution is working to observe the performance of the selection committee etc," he observed.
He said that the ad hoc body was afraid of the power of general body and was, therefore, not ready to restore it, and criticised the PCB for forming a medical commission to look into Shoaib Akhtar's injury.
He said the better way to maintain discipline in the national team was the presence of some junior players in the dressing room with the seniors.
This would force the seniors to perform better and also "maintain discipline." He regretted that there was no junior lot available in the team. It may be pointed out the General Body and Council comprises the members elected representatives of the associations, while it is the prerogative of PCB Patron to appoint chairman, who appoints the chief executive and the treasurer of the Cricket Board.
However, cricket circles are pinning hopes on the proposed meeting of PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan with President Musharraf some time later this month or early next month.
The rumours are rife that Ramiz Raja, who is bitterly criticised by cricket circles for handling the Board affairs, may quit as the Chief Executive before the proposed meeting of PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan with the Patron, President Pervez Musharraf some time later this month.