Pakistan Cricket - a reflection of the turmoil within: from Musharaf to Zardari
“Who has suffered? Families of the dead: no doubt. But a greater loss was inflicted on Pakistan because, as I said, we lost the pillars of our society,” says former President of Pakistan, General® Pervez Musharaf, America’s greatest ally in the war on terror.
Pakistan has always been politically unstable and prone to military’s interference in the politics. Military is one institution in Pakistan which is the most disciplined with the youth of the country placing their trust on the army institutionally.
Democracy on the other hand has been a scarce commodity and hasn’t been given its natural time to evolve resulting in a crippled version of what could be termed “democracy”. Benazir Bhutto died campaigning for the revival of democracy in Pakistan, but factually
speaking democracy in itself has been prone to stir instability in Pakistan by condoning corruption and nepotism that hasn’t even evaded his highness, the President of Pakistan, Mr. Asif Ali Zardari. He is alleged to have been involved in mammoth corruption
scandals and is famously dubbed as Mr. Ten Percent.
Over the last decade, Pakistan has been treading on thin ice, with the burgeoning problem of insurgency and terrorism that has left scores of people dead, ever since Pakistan allied with the U.S. in its war on terror. Despite these problems, Pakistan has
still managed to improve its socio economic situation, with an 8.4 percent GDP growth during 2005 under Musharaf, which was the second highest GDP growth percentage in Asia after http://www.senore.com/Cricket/China-c40996 at that time. But things took a turn for the worse in 2007, with increasing
threat from the Taliban and the judicial crisis.
Following impeachment pressure by the coalition government, Musharaf resigned in 2008, who was then succeeded by Asif Ali Zardari as the 11th President of Pakistan. The incumbent government appears to be failing in addressing the country’s many
problems from power shortages to flour and sugar crisis. Now, the cricket crisis is yet another deafening blow to the masses at large.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 Cricket saw a certain era of stability under Tauqir Zia as PCB chairman, as he implemented the Vision 2005, paragon for the promotion and development of cricket in Pakistan which according to sources was 75% completed during his tenure. But following
a number of controversies, Zia resigned only to be replaced by Shehryar Mohammad Khan, who served from December 2003 to October 2006. Shehryar, a diplomat by profession and belonging to the princely family of Bhopal, he was also the cousin of Nawab of Pataudi,
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mansur-Ali-Khan-c1894, a former captain of Indian cricket team.
The Pakistani Cricket witnessed some stability under Musharaf’s era also when Inzamam was appointed the captain of the Pakistan team. However, things started to get ugly under http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ireland-c751.
This was soon followed by the death of Coach Bob Woolmer while Inzamam also announced his retirement from ODI cricket and resigned as test captain.
Still, the worst was yet to come for Pakistan Cricket in terms of a demon, a fascist dictators, that too ironically in the time of a democratic government; Mr. Ijaz Butt, who has truly led Pakistan cricket to the gallows. After failing to provide sufficient
security to the Sri Lankan cricket team who were abandoned in the middle of a square with highly trained terrorists to attack them, the Chairman PCB has ensured that this team doesn’t see the light of consistency.
Having experimented with 5 captains, not to mention appointing his own kith and kin in the PCB, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ijaz-Butt-c64128 has treated the board as a private venture initiated by the Butt family turning Pakistan cricket into an expendable prostitute and nothing less.
With the recent spot fixing fiasco, fingers are already being pointed at the administration of the cricket board in Pakistan. However, Mr. Butt fails to take the blame on his shoulders. The instability and corruption of the PCB is a reflection of the failures
of the present government who has proven its inability to deal with the quagmire the country now finds itself in.
With cricket now another lost cause for Pakistan, Musharaf’s wise words ring in our ears like a death knell. Pakistan has lost yet another pillar of its state thanks mostly to Mr. Ijaz Butt.
(The above is writer’s own independent opinion)
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