Pakistan Cricket Board officials came under fire from a Senate sub-committee for mishandling the Javed Miandad case with a Senator accusing the PCB of mistreating a national hero. The Senate sub-committee convened a meeting at the Gaddafi stadium on Tuesday to look into the working of the Board particularly with reference to firing of employees,new appointments and enforcement of an austerity drive since former Test player Ejaz Butt took over as Chairman in October. Sources privy to the proceedings of the meeting said the Senators were not happy with the way the Board had handled the Miandad affair and asked the PCB officials Saleem Altaf and Wasim Bari to rectify things. "Senator Haroon Akhtar made it clear Miandad was a national hero and the Board needed to treat him with more respect," one source said. He said the Senators had now asked Miandad to also appear before the Senate standing committee on sports at their hearing on February 9. Miandad resigned as PCB director-general last month claiming the Board had gone back on promises made to him and had downgraded his authority and responsibilities. "One Senator observed that some people in the Board were trying to malign Miandad which was unacceptable," the source said. The meeting was also attended by Senators Tahir Mashadi and Abdul Rahim Mandokhel who made it clear to Altaf (CEO) and Bari (Director human resources) that they needed to rectify some things. Sources said the Senators were not happy with the decision of the Board to sack regional accountants appointed by the previous board to keep a check and balance on the way the regional associations spent grants and used equipment given to them by the board. "The Senators felt that there was a definite need to have regional accountants and coordinators to keep a check and balance on regional associations." The Senators asked the PCB officials to justify the sacking of employees and to do their homework properly. "The sub-committee also observed that while there was talk off austerity drive in the Board only lower level employees were being sacked and directors were still enjoying big salaries and perks."
