The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly has summoned Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and demanded a detailed report on the expenses incurred during the Champions Trophy.

The committee has also sought records of financial losses related to the tournament.

According to reports, the PAC meeting, chaired by Junaid Akbar, reviewed an audit paragraph regarding the non-distribution of approximately Rs2 billion related to PSL 8. Audit officials briefed the committee, stating that the amount remained undistributed between the PCB and PSL franchises.

PAC members expressed their frustration over PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s absence from the meeting.

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Chairman Junaid Akbar questioned whether Naqvi should have attended, to which the Cabinet Secretary responded that Naqvi was unable to appear due to security situations in Quetta and Balochistan.

The cabinet secretary further stated that Mohsin Naqvi holds multiple key positions, making it difficult for him to fully perform his responsibilities.

Senator Fauzia Arshad insisted that Naqvi’s additional roles should be removed, repeating that “his extra positions must be abolished.”

PAC member Sanaullah Masti Khel criticised the situation, saying it was unfortunate that the Interior Minister was abroad during such circumstances, failing to fulfill his duties. He also pointed out that placing PCB under the Cabinet Division during the caretaker setup was unlawful.

However, the cabinet secretary later corrected the record, informing the committee that the Interior Minister was in fact in the country.

Debate over PAC’s authority

Syed Naveed Qamar stated that the audit review could not proceed without the PCB chairman’s presence. Senator Fauzia Arshad demanded that Naqvi be summoned, prompting Junaid Akbar to respond sarcastically, “Do you want me to spend the rest of my days in jail?”

Naveed Qamar reminded the committee that PAC has several powers, including issuing notices and exercising civil judge authority to issue arrest warrants if someone fails to appear after being summoned.

As a result, the committee officially summoned Mohsin Naqvi to appear in the next session.

Champions Trophy financial discrepancies questioned

During the meeting, Chairman PAC Junaid Akbar raised concerns about the financial impact of the Champions Trophy 2025, stating that reports suggest expenses totaled Rs29 billion, while revenue was only around PKR 1 billion.

However, PCB Chief Financial Officer (CFO) refuted these claims, clarifying that the tournament was organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and that its budget was set at $70 million.

PAC members then questioned the source of funds used for stadium renovations, demanding a breakdown of all expenses incurred during the Champions Trophy. The committee has now officially requested a detailed financial report from PCB.