Corruption Scandal Rocks Pakistan Cricket: PCB Accused of Billions in Financial Irregularities and Illegal Appointments
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been engulfed in a major controversy following a damning audit report from the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP), which has uncovered massive financial mismanagement, unauthorized appointments, and irregular expenditures between June 2023 and July 2024.
The report has raised serious questions about the functioning of the PCB under successive chairmen, namely Najam Sethi, Zaka Ashraf, and Mohsin Naqvi.
Shocking Financial Irregularities
One of the most striking revelations in the audit includes a payment of Rs. 63.39 million to the police department, allegedly for providing meals during international match security duty — an amount auditors have deemed highly questionable.
Additionally, the unauthorised appointment of three U-16 coaches at the High Performance Centre in Karachi cost Rs. 5.4 million, carried out without any formal recruitment procedure.
A highly controversial Director Media appointment also caught attention — with the entire recruitment process (from application to joining) suspiciously completed on the same day (October 2, 2023), despite an official advertisement only going out in mid-August. This signals a pre-fixed hiring process and bypassing of merit.
Other irregularities include:
- Rs. 3.8 million in overpaid match fees to officials.
- An excessive Rs. 900,000 monthly salary sanctioned for the Director Media role.
Billions Unaccounted For
The AGP’s report paints a disturbing picture of fiscal indiscipline, with billions either misused or unaccounted for:
- Rs. 19.8 million spent on diesel for bulletproof vehicles from Punjab government’s pool.
- Rs. 22.5 million paid for transportation coasters without transparent procurement.
- A shocking Rs. 198 million loss due to media rights sold below reserve price.
- USD 99 million worth of international broadcasting rights awarded without open competition.
- A staggering Rs. 5.3 billion in unrecovered sponsorship funds.
Repeated Offenses, No Accountability
This isn’t the first time the AGP has flagged mismanagement within the PCB, yet no tangible action has ever followed. The latest findings further erode the credibility of Pakistan’s cricketing establishment and highlight an urgent need for reform and transparency.
With billions at stake, and national pride on the line, cricket lovers across Pakistan are now demanding accountability and legal action against those who have allowed such widespread corruption to flourish unchecked.
