ISLAMABAD / LAHORE
Pakistan Cricket Board on Wednesday responded to it’s former Chairman Ramiz Raja’s allegations leveled against the current head Najam Sethi.
“PCB believes former Chairman Mr Raja’s comments are aimed at tarnishing and damaging the impeccable reputation of present Chairman Mr Sethi, adding it reserves it’s rights to pursue legal proceedings to protect and defend the image and credibility of its Chairman and the institution,” the cricket board said in a communiqué issued Wednesday.
Earlier, the recently sacked Chairman of the PCB Ramiz Raja in his Video Log had alleged his recently appointed replacement Najam Sethi of “trying to gain limelight by holding office”.
“To accommodate one person, Sethi to be precise, they had to change the entire constitution (of the PCB). I have not seen this anywhere in the world. It has been done in the middle of a season, when teams are visiting Pakistan. They have changed the chief selector, who had played Test cricket. At 2 am in the night, he (Sethi) tweets that Ramiz Raja is gone. This is my playing field. It hurts,” the former PCB chairman said during a YouTube interaction with the fans on Monday.
However on Wednesday, the cricket controlling board issued a communiqué, rejecting Raja’s claims. “The PCB Patron, on the popular demand of cricket fans, administrators as well as former and current cricketers, exercised his constitutional right by restoring the PCB Constitution 2014 to safeguard the livelihoods, wellbeing and careers of professional cricketers as it recognised the role of departmental cricket, which was not the case in the PCB Constitution 2019 promulgated by the PTI government,” PCB said.
“PCB Chief Operating Officer Mr Salman Naseer has already rebutted Mr Raja’s allegations that he was not allowed to collect his belongings by confirming these were picked up personally by him and will be returned to Mr Raja today (Wednesday) as a part of the usual handing and taking over process. Mr Raja was never stopped from entering the Gaddafi Stadium premises and will be welcome to visit any time in future,” the communiqué said.
“Mr Sethi, who was elected as the PCB’s 34th Chairman in August 2017 for a three-year term, had voluntarily resigned with two years remaining in his tenure after his nominating authority had lost the 2018 general elections in July. This clearly indicates his approach and positive attitude,” it said.
