The old colonial "masters" cannot be expected to oblige their former "subjects" on the one pretext or the other. But when a former "subject" tries to woo his old "master", he is ridiculed with contempt, as despite physical freedom, he is mentally a "most obedient servant.
Though Pakistan gained independence in 1947, still our elite class could not break the 200-year-old shackles of slavery.
This class, especially those who are supposed to safeguard the national honour with dignity and grace, have failed to impress upon their old "masters" that Pakistan need "friends and masters."
This has been proved when the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has refused to oblige Pakistan Cricket Board's Ad hoc Committee Chairman Shaharyar M. Khan to play one more One-day International (ODI) match in Karachi on security reasons.
The PCB ad hoc Committee Chairman tried to convince the ECB officials to agree to playing another one-day match in Karachi, but when he failed in his efforts, he came out with a statement that "the PCB in the wake of the recent tragic bomb blasts and loss of lives in London, will have to evaluate the situation before touring England next year."
In an interview with the Voice of America (VOA), Shaharyar Khan said the PCB, if needed, would certainly press for change of venue that PCB might not deem secure when Pakistan tour England in 2006 as sensitivities of both the sides were to be realised and accepted.
He, however, admitted that tension in some parts of England was on the rise and it was not possible for Pakistan to play at the Lords and Oval.
RIDICULOUS:
Such ridiculous statement from the PCB chief cannot befool the Karachiites, who are of the opinion that beggars cannot be choosers as the PCB ad hoc administrators since 9/11 tragic incident in the US have continued to succumb to the pressures of the touring teams. First it was Australia and West Indies, who cancelled their tours on security reasons.
As a result the PCB relocated these series to Sri Lanka and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Similarly, in 2003 South Africa refused to play in Karachi and Peshawar.
Had the PCB ad hoc administrators shown some courage and moved the International Cricket Council (ICC), these countries would have been suitably penalised for refusing to play in Pakistan.
In the wake of bomb blasts in London, one may question the cricket boards of England, Australia, West Indies and South Africa, are Karachi and Peshawar are so vulnerable to terrorist attacks as that of New York, London, Madrid or any other city of the so-called civilised country.
DICTATIONS:
Unlike the ECB and other cricket boards in the world, which are elected bodies and working on democratic lines, taking their affiliated associations into confidence, were for the last over six years dictating theirs terms on the PCB, knowing that Pakistan's cricket affairs are being handled by an ad hoc set-up, which has no roots in the country's regional or district associations.
Taking advantage of this basic flaw in the national cricket set-up, even the International Cricket Council (ICC) officials treated the PCB officials like pigmies, although their attitude towards the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is quite different.
As regards Test venues in Pakistan, especially Karachi, one could not believe that the PCB ad hoc administration chief, who is a career diplomat, has failed to convince the ECB officials. It is really the failure of diplomacy of a man, who is reported to have "tacked" much more serious issues than Karachi in his long career in the Foreign Office.
While the ECB people argued that playing a Test match in Karachi was not possible on security reasons, but they are reminded that England played a Test match in Karachi in 2000 when the law and order situation was worst.
CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS:
Apart from the ECB attitude, the PCB Ad hoc Committee Chairman and his spokesman, Media Director Abbas Zaidi, on record of having said that Karachi would be hosting one of the three-Tests series against England, but soon PCB Operations Director Salim Altaf came out with a statement that Karachi was not included in the proposed itinerary of Test matches.
His statement was also confirmed by Federal Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah.
Such contradictory statements by the top PCB bosses have made things more complicated and one is in a fix as to which of the top PCB official is correct.
Anyhow, Karachi issue has opened a Pandora's box for the PCB ad hoc administrators, and people whose services for the promotion of national cricket are second to none, have criticised the inept policies of the Cricket Board, which have decided to restrict the international cricket events to one province.
The non-elected bureaucratic Board, having no guts to face the voice of over 140 million people Karachi, is trying to calm down the sentiments of the cricket fans of Karachi by saying the PCB chief was trying to pursue the ECB to play another one-day match in Karachi.
MIANDAD'S VIEW:
Disturbed over Pakistan's former captain Javed Miandad's comment that the PCB should cancel England's tour of Pakistan in October, Shaharyar Khan said: "I feel that things can improve by playing cricket rather than cancellation of cricketing ties.
Acting upon such advice would mean end of international cricket in Pakistan," he said.
Unlike the ECB, which has finalised the next year's Pakistan tour of England itinerary, PCB Media Director Abbas Zaidi has said that England tour itinerary has been sent TO President Pervez Musharraf, who is also the chief Patron of the PCB, for approval.
It is amazing that the PCB patron is involved in such petty things, which in the past were finalised by the elected council. This is height of incompetence of the ad hoc administrators, who have no guts to take such decisions.
Now it is high time that the PCB chief patron, President Pervez Musharraf, should look into the matter and immediately announce return of a democratic set-up in the PCB so that the people of Karachi, the only big cricket centre of south and south-western part of the country -- Sindh and Balochistan - could not feel isolated from the mainstream of national cricket affairs.
It is hoped that President Musharraf, who has taken a number of important decisions to safeguard the interest of Karachi and its people, will order corrective measures to undo the wrongs committed by the undemocratic PCB ad hoc administration for the last over six years.
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