Ex-bureaucrat Abu Shamim to replace Rameez as CEO

Pakistani daily Dawn reported today that “Abu Shamim Arif, a retired bureaucrat, is likely to replace Rameez Raja as the chief executive of PCB shortly”.

Shaharyar M. Khan, chairman of the PCB, who called on the Board Patron, General Pervez Musharraf, on Wednesday, is said to have sought his approval in this regard.

The PCB chief had met Musharraf, who is also the chief patron of the PCB, two days ago and discussed a host of issues including the recently concluded India-Pak cricket series as well as plans to improve domestic cricket structure and Raja’s topic was apparently discussed at length during the meet.

Raja and Shaharyar have apparently not been getting along well ever since the latter took over in December last year, Dawn said. It added that an action committee of regional cricket associations headed by Aamir Hayat Rokri, demanding an end to ad-hocism in the PCB, had also asked for Raja’s removal as the chief executive.

Shaharyar, a former foreign secretary, has been open in his disapproval of Raja’s dual role as he felt it was a conflict of interests. Despite the PCB chief’s displeasure, Raja declined to quit as commentator for broadcasters Ten Sports on the grounds that the post of CEO was honourary and he was not on the payroll of the PCB while he made a living out of his commentator’s job.

Shaharyar has picked Abu Shamim for the coveted post as he was close friend of his. The PCB chief, it was reported, was keen that the post should be held only by someone whom he trusted.