LAHORE-Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) Ehsan Ur Rehman Mazari has said that India is politicizing cricket by not allowing its team to visit Pakistan, adding it should end politicisation and play cricket in Pakistan.
“India should leave its stubbornness and play cricket in Pakistan. Personally, I believe that if India does not come to Pakistan, then Pakistan should also not visit them. If India chose to play at the neutral venue, then Pakistan should also do the same. India always plays politics on cricket. If Indian teams from other disciplines can visit Pakistan, then why not its cricket team,” said Mazari while talking to media along with Zaka Ashraf at a cake-cutting ceremony on the birthday anniversary of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto at his office on Wednesday.
The IPC Minister said that the PCB Management Committee’s term had ended on the night of June 19, and the decisions taken by it after that had no status. Prime Minister office on Tuesday in a notification said that the Prime Minister had nominated Zaka Ashraf and Supreme Court Advocate Mustafa Ramday as the PCB’s Board of Governors (BoG).
According to the IPC Minister, the leadership of Pakistan People’s Party wanted to see Zaka Ashraf as the PCB chairman. “I had sent the summary to the Prime Minister’s House [for Zaka and Ramday’s appointment]. I am thankful to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for approving that,” he said.
“Now Zaka Ashraf is all set to take over the reins of Pakistan Cricket Board’s stewardship before Eid-ul-Azha as the government does not want to delay his (Zaka) appointment,” Mazari said and added that the PCB Election Commissioner would be looking after the affairs of the board till the election of the new PCB chairman. “Every effort will be made to hold the elections before Eid. It is clear that Zaka Ashraf will be the new chairman of the board, following its elections,” he asserted.
Speaking on the occasion, Zaka Ashraf said: “I am deeply grateful to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Co-Chairman of PPP Asif Ali Zardari and IPC Minister Ehsan ur Rehman Mazari for reposing trusting in me.” He said the Asia Cup and the World Cup were approaching and his focus would be to prepare the national outfit for those events.
In response to a question, Zaka Ashraf said that he was against the hybrid model from day one. “If the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) had given rights to the PCB to hold the Asia Cup, then the entire event should have taken place in Pakistan,” he added.