LAHORE - The wife of Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi and senior journalist, Jugnu Mohsin has attributed the recent success of Pakistan cricket as a result of the Pakistan Super League.

During an interview in Waqt TV’s programme, Game Beat, she said the successful holding of the PSL final in the country had paved the way for the return of international cricket to Pakistani grounds.

“The cricketing activity in Lahore has enhanced the image of the country. Pakistan is coming out of international isolation and the world is seeing Pakistan as a peaceful country for successfully holding top profile events. This success is the result of continuous hard work and now we are reaping the rewards” Mrs Sethi was also all praise for Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif and law minister Rana Sanaullah for extending their all out support to the cricket board for holding these events.

She said Pakistan Army, Rangers and Punjab Police had played a key role in making this possible as their efforts and vigilance provided an atmosphere that led to the return of international cricketers to the Pakistani ground.

Jugnu also criticised those who has said that holding the events under complete shut down or in curfew like atmosphere would not yield the desired results and said that it was quite unjustified to criticise those who were trying to provide a conducive environment for such an activity and added that instead they should criticise those elements who were responsible for depriving the nation from cricket. “I hope that after Lahore, other cities of the country would also see the return of international cricket soon,” she added.

Jugnu said Pakistan Super League has given the country many stars and many youngsters got a chance to showcase their talent at the highest level and Hasan Ali, Shadab Khan, Fakahar Zaman are the best example of this.

She also clarified that she did not go abroad on the Board’s expense but she bears all her expenses by herself. “It has been in tradition in the past that wives of the PCB chairmen went abroad on the Board’s expenditures but I always bear expenses of traveling abroad personally.”

Praising her better-half, Jugnu said Sethi is trying to stabilise Pakistan cricket and wants to take it to unprecedented heights. She said she never interfered in the Board’s matter tough some PCB employees unsuccessfully tried to approach Sethi through her.

She also praised the worst critic of her husband, Imran Khan. She said Imran Khan has rendered many services to the country as cricketer and philanthropist. “Imran also taking politics as a welfare work and he has come into the politics through his welfare projects. One can criticise his political decisions but I can never doubt his intentions for serving the country and its people.” Jugnu also revealed her own political ambitions and said that she had decided to contest the next elections from NA-145 as an independent candidate to bring light to the lives of the people of her parental constituency, who according to her, facing severe problems as the elected-representatives only pursue the agenda of their own benefits instead of serving the masses.