Article: Agha Akbar’s Comment

Agha Akbar21-Jun-2001LAHORE: Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, the PCB Chairman, is said to be contemplating changes in the Board. These changes, revealed a reliable source, are likely to encompass the entire set-up of the Board, and take place sooner than later, as it is said the PCB Chairman wants the new set-up in place well before the 2001-02 home season. Keeping that in view, sources exceptionally close to the chairman have confided in this correspondent, he might start ringing in these changes soon after he arrives back from England, on June 24.The high and powerful Advisory Council, with Rameez Raja, Javed Miandad, Waqar Hasan and marketing expert Wasim Azhar its members, would apparently hit the sack, revealed the source. In the Chairman’s view, one is told, they all remain accused of inefficiency.Of these, only Rameez may still continue to hold an office in the PCB, but of much diminished importance than his current position. Currently, he is the next most important person in the Board after the Chairman. In the new set-up, he is likely to land the portfolio of supervising restructuring of domestic cricket.On the way out too, the selection committee would closely follow the Advisory Council, with new members already being vetted behind the scenes by Chairman’s confidants outside the Board. There would be just one selection committee, instead of one for the senior string and another for the juniors, and it is proposed to be a paid one.Close on the heels of sacking the Advisory Council and re-forming the selection committee, each department in the permanent establishment of the Board would be made independent and given targets which would be reviewed every quarter.Now that he is no longer so busy with the heavy duties in army, probably the Chairman feels he has enough time on his hands to be even more actively involved in the day-to-day affairs of the Board. That is perhaps why, instead of a supra body like the Advisory Council involved in each and every thing, the heads of these departments – such as marketing, administration, operations, media management etc. – would be reporting to the Chairman directly.This is how the thinking goes, and the fact that minute details have been already worked out, shows that quite a bit of planning has been done. Reportedly, all this with Advisory Council members, not yet in the know. But since the Chairman, despite his background, is said to be a sentimental softy and generous to a fault, given to mostly not following the edicts of his better judgement when faced with sob stories, this plan may yet see changing and chopping at the last moment.