PCB official’s foreign trips costs PCB Rs7.3 million

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB)'s Director International Cricket Operations, Zakir Khan, in the past nine months since assuming the role, has made around nine international trips that have cost more than Rs7.3 million.

According to details, Zakir Khan had been sidelined during the tenure of former chairman Najam Sethi. It should be noted that he was still paid a salary and received benefits despite his inactivity. When his close friend, Imran Khan, became the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Najam Sethi had offered Zakir Khan a position of his choosing in order to save his own position.

Zakir Khan became the director international cricket operations, while Sethi departed. He has now gone on many tours after current PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani assumed his position.

According to documents obtained by Daily Express, the director international cricket operations made around nine tours during a nine month period between September 2018 and June 2019.

Zakir Khan made various trips after this period as well, the details of which are yet to be released.

A trip was made to Dubai which took place from September 16 to September 21 in 2018 which cost around Rs539,110. Another trip to Dubai which took place from October 5 to October 8 in cost around Rs388,496. One week later, another trip to the UAE was made between 15 to 18 October which cost around Rs431,246. After eight days of returning to Lahore, another trip was made to Dubai from October 26 to November 12 which cost around Rs1.6 million.

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A trip to Dubai was made between February 11 to February 16 in 2019 which cost around Rs716,867. Eight days later, another ‘important assignment’ resulted in a trip to Dubai between February 24 to February 28 in 2019 which cost around Rs658,465. It is interesting to note that he flew back to Dubai a day later only to return on March 3 after a trip which cost Rs187,785. Another trip to Dubai made between March 21 to April 1 cost around Rs920,708.

A trip to England was made by Zakir Khan from June 7 to June 19 in 2019 which resulted in a cost of nearly Rs1.8 million.

A PCB source clarified that all foreign trips made by officials are work-related. There are no abnormalities in these trips.