PCB asks employees to return ICC money

The PCB's new legal counsel Shan Gul has sent notices to four employees of the Board asking them to return the money transferred into their accounts by the ICC during the preparations for the now-postponed Champions Trophy.

The PCB's new legal counsel Shan Gul has sent notices to four employees of the Board asking them to return the money transferred into their accounts by the ICC during the preparations for the now-postponed Champions Trophy.

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Gul has sent notices to Zakir Khan, Subhan Ahmed, Arif Kitchelew and Ehsan Hameed Malik asking them to return the money paid to them for their services in the Champions Trophy secretariat set up by the ICC in Lahore last year.

"These four employees and two former officials, Shafqat Naghmi and Nadeem Akram all got paid a total sum of Rs 15.6 million for services rendered by them in the Champions Trophy secretariat," a Pakistan Cricket Board source told PTI.

"The money was sent directly into their individual accounts. The notices sent to Zakir (Director cricket operations international), Subhan (manager cricket operations) Arif (Finance manager) and Hameed (Director marketing) has asked as to how they received money directly from the ICC since they were on the payroll of the board at that time," the source added.

The source said notices would also be issued to Naghmi, former chief operating officer and Akram, former director human resources to also return the money to the board. "If these people fail to account for the money and return it the board has directed its legal counsel to proceed with legal action against them," the source stated.

Sources said the six got the money from the ICC for the services they rendered in the Champions Trophy secretariat. Shafqat Naghmi maintained he was surprised at the latest board move.

"I am surprised since this money was paid to us as our special allowances by the ICC for working in the Champions Trophy secretariat which is now defunct. So how are they demanding this money back from us," Naghmi said.

Naghmi is said to have been paid around Rs 4.6 million followed by Akram Rs 3.3 million, Zakir Rs three million and Hameed Rs 3.2 million by the ICC.

"The Champions Trophy secretariat was operating under the supervision of the PCB on behalf of the ICC as the tournament was to be hosted by Pakistan. So how can board employees accept allowances from the ICC," one source noted.

He said the legal counsel had been told to go ahead with legal action if the money was not returned to the board.