The Auditor General of Pakistan has exposed serious financial irregularities in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), uncovering millions in questionable spending. The report highlights a shocking Rs 63.39 million payment for police meals during international matches, among other violations.
Investigators found that PCB officials made several unauthorised appointments, including hiring three under-16 coaches at Karachi’s high-performance centre without proper procedures. These appointments cost the board Rs 5.4 million in salaries. The audit also revealed that PCB executives awarded ticketing contracts without open competitive bidding.
The PCB has experienced significant leadership instability, with three different chairmen serving since December 2022. Najam Sethi held the position until June 2023, Zaka Ashraf served until January 2024, and Mohsin Naqvi took over in February 2024. The audit period covered these transitions, showing persistent financial issues across administrations.
PCB’s Questionable Payments and Appointments
The report shows that PCB accountants overpaid match officials by Rs 3.8 million in fees. Board members also approved an irregular Rs 900,000 monthly salary for a Media Director position. Most concerning, PCB officials authorised Rs 4.17 million in payments to the chairman for utilities, fuel, and accommodation while he simultaneously served as Interior Minister with government-provided benefits.
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The audit particularly criticised the October 2023 hiring of a Media Director. Although PCB administrators advertised the position on August 17, they completed the entire hiring process – including application review, approval, documentation, and onboarding – in one day on October 2.
This report continues a pattern of financial concerns within the PCB. Previous audits identified similar issues, yet no authority has held any chairman accountable. The current findings show PCB officials spent Rs 19.8 million unnecessarily on diesel for government-provided bulletproof vehicles and wasted Rs 22.5 million on coaster rentals.
The board suffered a Rs 198 million loss by selling media rights below the minimum prices. PCB executives also awarded $99 million in international broadcasting rights without competitive bidding and failed to collect Rs 5.3 billion in outstanding sponsorship payments. These findings reveal deep-rooted financial governance problems at Pakistan’s top cricket institution
