Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has released external audit report pertaining to sale of tickets during the Pak-India cricket series and observed that only invitations were issued to selected cricket oriented personalities, as no complimentary tickets were printed as part of policy approved by the President and Prime Minister. The President had fully supported the PCB in this regard and also set an example by purchasing tickets for his family.

The invitations were only issued to visiting ICC members, distinguished visitors from India, BCCI members, leading sponsors, former PCB chairmen and Pakistani cricket icons. In the past, Pakistan's image as a discipline-organised country had been seriously dented at important cricket matches by VIPs, claiming complimentary tickets as a right.

These VIPs included ministers, secretaries, senior police officials, services officers and members of the government. The ugliest incident occurred during the World Cup 1995 when the entire Chairman's box was occupied by Lahore's elite for their families and relatives and the PCB chairman's invitees that included ICC President/Chief Executive and many other foreign VIPs returned to their hotels in disgust.

The external audit had confirmed that proper procedures for the installation of 2957 fiber glass chairs at Qadhafi Stadium Lahore and 3000 chairs at the National Stadium Karachi were processed through prescribed procedure. According to the report, out of 115,896 printed tickets 90,815 were sold, 13417 withdrawn and 11264 remained unsold.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005