ISLAMABAD - Former leg spin legend Abdul Qadir has lashed out at Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) high ups saying they have been spreading totally incorrect and baseless things in a section of press and insulting laurels-winning past greats.
Talking to The Nation, Qadir said: “The PCB has sent him third show-cause notice on Thursday and used a highly threatening and totally unacceptable language in the letter. They termed my response as unsatisfactory and demanded me to appear in personal on August 4 and explain my position, failing with they would give one-sided decision and also reserve the right of taking further action against me.” Qadir said: “I am surprised and disheartened that a player, who had represented Pakistan for so many years and played instrumental role in helping the country record a number of victories, was given such a bashing by those, who had nothing to do with cricket.
“I want to know simple thing that when they decided to set up so-called Cricketers Welfare Fund (CWF), had they sought suggestions from past greats, had they given us some kind of code of conduct, had they taken our signatures on that, are we PCB employees, how and on what grounds they issued show-cause notice? The PCB should have invited the past greats and sought their suggestions, recommendations and properly maintained a document, upon which all had signed.”
Qadir said instead of realising their blunder, the PCB had claimed that they had not stopped his pension. “I was little confused that had I levelled baseless allegation against them. I called my manager and sent him to my bank as I only have one account and don’t have any off-shore company. He brought all the details of my account, which clearly showed that for the last two months, the PCB had not deposited a single penny in my account. They are liars and just trying to hide their sins. They are giving me only Rs 45,000 monthly pension, while in India, Ravi Shahstri has been getting Rs 270,000 monthly pension.
“I will take Najam Sethi, Shaharyar Khan and Subhan Ahmed to court where I will ask the honorable judge to order complete inquiry of their accounts and also their families and bring everything in front of the public. If they want me in the court, I am ready to present myself for accountability, but same should be done with them. They are enjoying liberty and spending the money with both hands, which we players had earned through hard work and spending hours and hours in the ground in extremely difficult conditions,” he added.
Qadir said before stopping his pension, they should have launched an inquiry and checked details and made their record straight. “By stopping my pension without conducting any inquiry or evidence and leveling serious allegations against me, they not only disrespected me but also the entire past greats. This is not a proper way to treat heroes of the country. We are not beggars, in fact, it is our right, as when in our golden days, we had given everything to Pakistan cricket and now we deserve better treatment from the PCB.”
“I also request Prime Minister Mian M Nawaz Sharif to provide me and others justice and seek explanation from the PCB chairman and all those responsible for inflicting a huge humiliation on me and insulting a national hero. If things are not stopped now and the PCB is not barred from such highly unethical tactics, others would also suffer at the hands of high-flying PCB bosses,” he added.
To a query regarding pathetic performance of Pakistan team in the Old Trafford Test, Qadir said: “Credit must be given to English team, which, after losing the first Test at Lord’s, learnt from their mistakes and bounced back in style. I am sure they had invited past greats and sought their suggestions and help, unlike of the PCB, which piles misery on their heroes and issues show-cause notices to them. About the third Test, he said: “In my opinion Sami Aslam and Imran Khan Senior should get nod of approval while Azhar Ali must be given rest. Pakistan must enter the third Test with positive frame of mind and leave the second Test bashing behind.”