PCB announces provincial office bearers

The Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Lt Gen Tauqir Zia Wednesday announced the office-bearers of the Provincial Cricket Associations with optimism that the newly formed entities will play a positive role in the development and spread of the game in their respective provinces.

"The heads of the provincial setups are experienced stalwarts with honorable record as administrators and organizers. The PCB is confident that their presence and active support would be helpful in developing and promoting the game in every corner of the country," said Lt Gen Tauqir Zia.

"With the new political and administrative structure of the country and 100-plus districts taking part in cricket organized by the PCB, it was imperative that the provincial cricket associations be formed to share the organizational and administrative work. With these four associations now in place, cricket would be looked after in a much more organized manner in the smaller districts.

"We are looking at the proposals of various sponsors and also trying to project our first-class cricket on television. This would raise the profile of our domestic structure and also provide financial support to improve the game in the districts," said the PCB Chairman.

Haseeb Ahsan has been appointed President of the Sindh Cricket Association, Ijaz Butt President of Punjab Cricket Association, Nawabzada Aminullah Raisani head of the Baluchistan Cricket Association and Anwar Zeb Jan is to lead the NWFP Provincial Association.

Haseeb Ahsan, a former Test spinner, has headed the national selection committee on more than one occasion while he was also the chairman of the 1987 World Cup Technical Committee besides being the members of the 1987 World Cup organizing committee. He is the honorary Counsel General of Ireland and is a Director of the American Express in Karachi.

Ijaz Butt represented Pakistan as wicketkeeper/batsman in the 1960s. He served as the secretary of the then Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan (BCCP) between 1984 and 1988. He was also the President of Lahore City Cricket Association for many years. He toured Australia in 1982-83 as manager of the Pakistan cricket team and twice headed the national selection committee.

Nawabzada Aminullah Raisani, 53, is an agriculturist and son of former Governor of Baluchistan Nawab Ghaus Buksh Raisani who was also the Minister for Agriculture. Mr Raisani, an Aitchisionan, represented Baluchistan in Quaid-e-Azam and Patron's Trophy. He was also the captain of Aitchision College cricket, football, athletics and hockey teams besides earning Roll of Honour in athletics from Government College, Lahore. He was adjudged Aitchison best sportsman in 1969-70. He also represented Pakistan in Regional Corporation Development (RCD) Games in 1973 that were held in Lahore.

Anwar Zeb Jan, 47 and an LLB from Law College in Peshawar, has appeared in three three-day tour warm-up games against India (twice, 1978 and 1980-81) at Peshawar and for Punjab XI against England at Bahwalpur in 1978. In addition to this, he also attended Pakistan cricket team's camps at the Gaddafi Stadium in 1977 and 1978. He is currently working as chief executive in the Meraj Engineering Services and was managing director of Techno Trade.

The other office-bearers are: Sindh Provincial Cricket Association: Haseeb Ahsan (President), Dr S.M.A Shah (Vice-President), Mr Aslam Sanjrani (Secretary) and Bashir Ahmed (Treasurer). Members will be announced shortly.

NWFP Provincial Cricket Association: Anwar Zeb Jan (President) (Peshawar), Maazullah Khan (Senior Vice President), Dr Tariq (Vice-President) (Mardan), Jalil Khan (Secretary) (Nowshera), Nisar Mohammad Khan (Treasurer). Maqsood Kundi (D.I Khan), Wasim Sheikh (Abbottabad), Fazle Malik Oragzai (Parachinar) (all members).

Punjab Provincial Cricket Association: Ijaz Butt (President), Khawaja Bilal Ahmed (Vice-President), Captain Syed Naseer Ahmed (Secretary), Pervez Masood (Treasurer), Zahid Khan Burki (Multan), Aboobakar Naeem (Lahore), Azhar Majeed Shaikh (Faisalabad), Ashraf Qureshi (Rawalpindi), Khawar Anwar Khawaja (Sialkot) (all members. Member from Azad Kashmir to be named shortly).

Baluchistan Provincial Cricket Association: Nawabzada Aminullah Raisani (President), Yawar Aziz (Senior Vice-President), Mohammad Khan Marri (Vice-President), Tariq Baloch (Secretary), Abdul Rehman Baloch, Mohammad Khair (both members). Another member to be named shortly.

PCB's Legal Advisor Syed Asghar Haider said the PCB was empowered to create the Provincial setup under Article 4 (a), (b), (g) and (p) of the constitution of the PCB, read in conjunction with Article 44.

The PCB Chairman said the Provincial Cricket Associations will control, manage, regulate, promote and develop the game; make rules/regulations necessary for the functioning of District Cricket Associations and control and regulate the finances.

The PCB Chairman said nominations for the Provincial associations are for a one-year term and thereafter, elections will be held. "They will be the care-takers for one year and will not contest elections when they are held next year."

The PCB Chairman said the provincial associations will be responsible for hosting domestic international matches in the forthcoming season. "The PCB will sign MoUs with the provincial associations and 70 per cent of the earning from every match will go to the provincial associations who will be responsible for equal distribution of the profits amongst city/district associations. This is being done to financially support and assist cash-strapped smaller city/district associations," said Lt Gen Tauqir Zia.

Samiul Hasan
General Manager - Media
Mobile + 92 300 842 4389
Pakistan Cricket Board
16 July 2003