PCB given under direct control of Cabinet Division

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar decided on Monday to transfer the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) from the Ministry for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) to the direct oversight of the Cabinet Division, according to a notification.

This administrative change means that the PCB will now operate directly under the Prime Minister’s Office, eliminating the need for intermediation through the Ministry for IPC. Consequently, the board will no longer be accountable to the ministry.

Previously, sources within the ministry indicated that a proposal was being prepared for approval by the relevant authorities, after which the PCB would cease to be accountable to the ministry, as all dealings would be directly with the Prime Minister’s Office.

Since the approval and reinstatement of the PCB Constitution in 2014, the IPC ministry has served as the sole link between the patron of the Board – the prime minister – and the PCB. Any direct communication outside of this channel has been considered unconstitutional.

Recently, a former secretary advised PCB officials that establishing direct contact with the Prime Minister's Office would constitute a breach of constitutional protocol.

It's important to note that the secretary of the IPC ministry has been added to the PCB Board of Governors to ensure that the ministry remains informed about PCB developments.

The approval of this proposal is expected to reduce the total strength of the PCB board to nine members, instead of ten, or may involve the inclusion of an official from the Prime Minister's Office on the Board.

However, it remains unclear who will be responsible for providing information on the PCB's operations to the National Assembly/Senate or Standing Committees.