The government will take severe action against cricketers if found involved in match fixing scandal. Federal Minister for Sports Ijaz Hussain Jakhrani expressed these views on Tuesday in the National Assembly while responding to Calling Attention Notice of Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, Shireen Arshad Khan, Nisar Tanveer, Nuzhat Sadiq and Muhammad Pervez Malik belonging to PML-N.
Acknowledging mismanagement in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Jakhrani warned the board of strict action if it is proved that the scandal is result of negligence on its part. "It is high time the PCB's management must improve its performance and remove all its weaknesses. The management will have to face strict action if its flaws are proved though such action is subject to the findings of the Scotland Yard," Jakhrani said.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Faisal Kareem Kundi also directed the Minister of Sports the report of Pakistani High Commissioner in London about match fixing scandal of Pakistan Cricket Team should be presented in the House. Jakhrani said that Scotland Yard has submitted its initial report on cricket corruption scandal to local authorities.
Acting on a suggestion from Labour Minister Syed Khurshid Shah, the Deputy Speaker allowed the House to discuss the issue and said that action should be taken against players involved in fixing of matches. Referring to the proposal for promulgating the PCB's constitution, Jakhrani said that the draft is almost ready and was scheduled to be discussed in August but got delayed due to the devastating floods that swept the country.
The move will now be reviewed and the final draft will be sent to the law ministry for vetting. Federal Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan said that the PCB is being run on ad hoc basis from the previous government. He said that his ministry is ready to sit together for preparing constitutional draft for PCB.