ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) paid Rs 2 billion in terms of tax to the national kitty during the recently-concluded Pakistan Super League-8 (PSL-8).
This was stated by PCB Chairman Najam Sethi while briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), chaired by its Chairman Nawab Sher.
The committee applauded the PCB management for their tireless efforts to successfully organise the Pakistan Super League-8 (PSL-8) in the country. The committee also appreciated the remarkable performance of Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) for the promotion of sports, however, directed the Secretary, Ministry of IPC to substantially enhance the annual grant of the Federation.
The committee further directed the ministry to conduct free and fair elections in all the sports federations.
Earlier, the PCB chairman briefed the committee that PCB is making efforts to revive domestic and international cricket in the country and also to revive all the cricket clubs.
He informed the panel that the previous management of PCB had disrupted the structure of domestic cricket and now the department is heading for a revolution. He also informed that the PCB does not take any grant or funds from the government of Pakistan, however, generates its own revenues to reinvest in the development of cricket throughout the country at all levels.
He apprised the committee that the PCB paid Rs 2 billion in terms of tax during the Pakistan Super League-8. He added that PCB’s next goal is to revive women’s cricket by organising the Women League for which a budget of Rs 7 billion has been allocated. The committee applauded the management of PCB for their tireless efforts to successfully organise the PSL-8 in the country.
The committee was also briefed regarding the rehabilitation and revival of Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad. The representative from PCB informed that the stadium was taken back by the civil administration, Qasimabad (Hyderabad) in 2018 without any prior notice.
He said that now, the PCB management desires to take charge of the stadium. The committee directed the management of PCB to arrange a meeting with the district administration, Hyderabad to resolve the issue of the administrative charge of Niaz Stadium.
The meeting was attended by Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, Zulfiqar Ali Behan, Shahida Rehmani, Sardar Riaz Mahmood Khan Mazari, Makhdoom Syed Samiul Hassan Gillani, Asiya Azeem, Wajiha Qamar, Sabir Hussain KaimKhani, and senior officers from the Ministry of IPC, representatives from the government of Sindh, PCB, AFP, and the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023