Transparency International (TI) has accused the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of many illegalities in the bidding process of broadcasting rights for the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Last month the PCB announced that they signed a two-year deal with ARY and PTV for $24mn.
In a letter to PCB’s chief executive officer, Transparency International pointed out quite a few loopholes in the process as they mentioned 6 irregularities which are violations of the rules of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA).
According to the letter, TI pointed out that the bidders need to submit Rs10 million pay order with technical proposals which ARY failed to do still their bid was accepted.
“The bidders under Bid Condition Section 3.3, sub-section H, were to submit with technical proposal Bid Security in the following manner: each bidder making a bid for Television Broadcasting Media Rights must provide security of Rupees Ten Million (Rs10,000,000). For bidders incorporated outside Pakistan, payment of bid security may be made in equivalent US dollars using the conversion rate for conversion of foreign currency deposits on the website of the State Bank of Pakistan three days prior to the Bid Submission Deadline.
“The bid security must be transferred to the designated account and evidence of the transfer must be provided with the technical proposal in the form of confirmation from the bidder’s banker confirming transfer to the designated account. Bidders incorporated in Pakistan may alternatively pay the bid security in Pakistani rupees through pay order submitted as part of their technical proposal,” The letter stated.
The letter also stated that there is a violation of PPRA Rule 35.
TI pointed out 6 irregularities in a letter to PCB
“In the ARY Case, a document is submitted in SHC which states ‘Evaluation Report’. This evaluation report shows the name of the procuring agency as ARY Communications (Private) Limited and Pakistan Television Corporation Ltd, and not the Pakistan Cricket Board. Who signed it is not known, as only the PCB stamp is affixed with some signatures.
“This appears to be a false evaluation report submitted in the SHC on behalf of Pakistan Cricket Board. The consortium agreement between Pakistan Television Corporation Ltd and ARY Communications Ltd submitted in SHC is an open agreement, as it does not include the date of execution. This undated consortium agreement is not as per law,” The letter added
The letter also pointed out the violation of PPRA Rule 7 and 47 in further points. Transparency International (TI) has urged PCB to look into the matter as soon as possible.
The seventh edition of PSL will begin on January 27 as the defending champions Multan Sultans will take on Karachi Kings at National Stadium, Karachi.
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