Members of the Upper House of Parliament have voiced strong criticisms about the state of sports in Pakistan. During a recent Senate session, Senator Ali Zafar expressed severe dissatisfaction with the current state of sports, particularly cricket. While he praised javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem as a national hero for his recent achievements, Senator Zafar lamented the decline of other sports such as hockey and squash, which were once sources of national pride.
Zafar declared that cricket in Pakistan is in disarray, stating, “Our cricket is ruined,” and called for the resignation of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. He criticized Naqvi for lacking the necessary expertise to lead the board, remarking, “If the head is incompetent, the institution will be destroyed.” Zafar likened this to appointing someone without medical knowledge as a principal of a medical college, saying, “I would become a butcher, not a doctor.”
Senator Zafar urged for the appointment of a qualified individual as PCB Chairman and called for a Senate debate on the overall decline of Pakistan’s sports sector.
Senator Manzoor Ahmed supported Zafar’s position, highlighting the large salaries of cricketers—ranging from Rs. 4 to 6 million—while questioning their performance. He stressed the need for expertise within the PCB, asserting, “An expert in this field should come forward,” and also endorsed the call for Chairman Naqvi’s resignation.
The debate underscored significant concerns about the leadership of Pakistan’s sports institutions and a growing demand for reforms to restore the country’s sports legacy.
