Auditor General of Pakistan Uncovers Financial Irregularities in Pakistan Cricket Board Operations

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The Auditor General of Pakistan has uncovered significant financial irregularities within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). These include illegal appointments and contract awards. The audit report highlights several issues, such as a payment of 63.39 million rupees to the police for meals during international matches.

Additionally, three coaches were appointed in Karachi's under-16 high-performance centre without proper authorisation, receiving a total salary of 5.4 million rupees.

Unauthorised spending has been a recurring issue in the PCB, with no chairman held accountable so far. Despite previous reports by the Auditor General, former chairmen like Najam Sethi and Zaka Ashraf have served multiple terms. The report also mentions irregularities in awarding ticketing contracts without open competition.

PCB Leadership Changes and Financial Mismanagement

Since December 2022, the PCB has seen three chairmen: Najam Sethi from December 2022 to June 2023, Zaka Ashraf from June 2023 to January 2024, and Mohsin Naqvi from February 2024 onwards. During the fiscal year from June 2023 to July 2024, Zaka Ashraf and Mohsin Naqvi led the board.

The report also highlights overpayments to match officials amounting to 3.8 million rupees. Furthermore, a Director of Media was appointed without following due process, receiving a monthly salary of 900,000 rupees. This appointment occurred on October 2, 2023, with all related processes completed on the same day.

Unauthorised Expenditures and Contract Awards

The audit report reveals unauthorised payments of 4.17 million rupees to the Chairman from February to June 2024 for utility charges and other expenses. These payments were made despite the Chairman holding the office of Interior Minister, where benefits are legally covered.

Additionally, the report notes that funds were spent without proper authorisation or competitive bidding. Examples include spending 19.8 million rupees on diesel for bulletproof vehicles provided by the Punjab government and 22.5 million rupees on hiring coasters.

Media Rights and Sponsorship Issues

The PCB incurred a loss of 198 million rupees due to awarding media rights below the reserved price. International broadcasting rights were awarded irregularly for USD 99 million without open competition. Moreover, there is a non-recovery of outstanding sponsorship amounts totalling 5.3 billion rupees.

Despite these findings, accountability remains elusive within the PCB's leadership. The Auditor General's reports continue to highlight financial mismanagement without resulting in significant changes or consequences for those involved.

With inputs from PTI