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Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said the PSL was staged successfully despite difficult circumstances, crediting Allah’s help and praising the turnout during the final and playoff matches.
Speaking informally to journalists in Lahore, Naqvi said it had been “the most difficult time,” but Allah helped in making the tournament possible.
“By the grace of Allah, the PSL was held in a good manner,” the PCB chairman said. He said 32,600 fans watched the PSL final at the stadium, calling the turnout a positive sign for Pakistan cricket.
Naqvi said the response from fans during the playoff matches was also impressive. “The crowd that came to the playoff matches was very great,” he said.
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The PCB chairman announced that, in addition to the current venues, new venues will also be included in the PSL next year. He said the next edition would be even stronger.
“PSL 12 will be bigger and better than this PSL,” Naqvi said.
Permission for crowds was difficult
Naqvi said getting permission from the prime minister for crowds at matches was not easy. He added that the PM had his own concern while giving permission, as he wanted fuel consumption to be kept as low as possible.
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“It was difficult to get permission from the prime minister for the crowd, but he also had his own interest in giving permission,” Naqvi said. “The prime minister wanted that petrol should be used as little as possible,” he added.
According to Naqvi, the PM had said that petrol expenses should be reduced.
One Constitutional Avenue issue
During the conversation, Mohsin Naqvi also addressed the One Constitutional Avenue matter. He said there had been no change in his position on the issue.
Naqvi said the Capital Development Authority believes the sale of Constitutional Avenue was illegal. “Just like the sale of Constitutional Avenue, CDA believes that it was illegal,” he said.
The PCB chairman said a committee had been formed to look into the entire issue. He said the same position would be maintained before the committee.
“We will maintain the same position before the committee,” Naqvi said.
He further said there should be one law for everyone, regardless of whether someone is rich or poor. “There should be a law for everyone, whether they are rich or poor,” he said.
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“It cannot be that there is one law for the rich and another law for the poor,” he added.
Naqvi said he did not think there had been such a major fraud in Pakistan’s history involving judges, bureaucrats, politicians and bankers.
“I do not think there will be such a big fraud in the history of Pakistan in which judges, bureaucrats, politicians, bankers are all involved,” he said.
He alleged that for 21 years, money kept being fed into the matter and people continued benefiting from it. “For 21 years, they kept feeding money and they kept eating this money,” Naqvi said.
PCB chairman backs CDA position
Naqvi said the matter should not remain limited to the building alone. He said he would suggest that anyone who harmed the country should face prosecution.
“I think it should not be limited to just the building. I will suggest that whoever has harmed the country should be prosecuted,” he said.
Naqvi said he fully supported the CDA’s position and would continue to stand with it. “I fully support the CDA’s position,” he said.
