Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has directed the transfer of administrative control of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) from the Ministry for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) to the Cabinet Division, according to a notification released today.
This transfer implies that the PCB will now operate directly under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Office, bypassing its previous connections through the Ministry for IPC. Consequently, the board will no longer be accountable to the ministry.
Sources within the ministry revealed that a summary had been prepared and forwarded for approval by the competent authorities. Once approved, the PCB will sever its ties with the ministry, ensuring direct dealings with the Prime Minister’s Office.
The move marks a departure from the previous arrangement established under the PCB Constitution of 2014, where the IPC ministry served as the sole intermediary between the board and the patron-in-chief, the prime minister. Direct communication with the PM Office was deemed unconstitutional, according to former secretaries within the ministry.
To maintain oversight, the secretary of the IPC ministry had been included on the PCB Board of Governors, ensuring the ministry stayed abreast of PCB developments.
With the approval of the summary, the PCB board’s composition is expected to reduce to nine members from ten, unless an official from the Prime Minister’s Office is appointed to the board.
However, questions remain regarding accountability to the National Assembly/Senate or Standing Committees, particularly regarding inquiries into the PCB’s operations. The reorganization under the Cabinet Division may prompt adjustments in this regard, but specifics are yet to be clarified.
