No one in Pakistan is as competent as Wasim Khan: PCB Chairperson Ehsan Mani

• PCB Chairperson Ehsan Mani briefs NA committee on cricket affairs.
• Refuses to share details of salaries paid to PCB officials.
• Says he can share details in an in-camera meeting.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairperson Ehsan Mani defended on Friday CEO Wasim Khan, saying that no one in Pakistan is more competent than him.

He said this in response to a question by MNA Iqbal Mohammad Ali during a meeting of the Standing Committee on Ministry for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC).

"There is no one in Pakistan as capable as Wasim Khan," Mani told the lawmakers, on which the members burst into laughter.

"For God's sake, what has he done? Many talented cricketers from Bajaur, including Fawad Alam, were ignored and where's the merit if players are inducted on the recommendation of an MNA," Ali responded.

Another member, Gul Zafar Khan, endorsed the statement.

Mani rejected this perception, saying that everything was done on merit.

The PCB chairperson also came under criticism from the NA committee as he has yet again refused to share details of the salaries of PCB officials, especially of Wasim Khan, with the House.

However, he said he could share it in an in-camera meeting.

“Is it a state secret? It must be shared in the open. The PCB should not be ashamed of sharing salary details with the committee that comprises respectable parliamentarians,” an MQM-P MNA said.

He added that he was not satisfied with the PCB chairperson’s clarifications.

“Even the prime minister’s salary is an open secret. Salaries of all the PCB employees, including Wasim Khan, should be declared. There should be no covering up or in-camera request.”

Iqbal also urged the Ministry for IPC to discuss the proposed sports policy in open rather than sharing it with the selected individuals.

“It must be discussed in open as the future of Pakistan sports depends on it. The policy must be discussed in the committee’s meeting and not the selected federations. Every recognized sports federation must be taken into confidence.”

IPC Secretary Mohsin Mushtaq briefed the House on the Olympics plans. “With the help of the concerned, every plan is in order for the mega event where a selected Pakistan contingent will participate.”