**GEN TAUQIR MUST MAKE A FAIR DECISION IN RASHID'S CASE
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KARACHI: The Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board Lt. General (Retd) Tauqir Zia has the image of a very strong and dominating leader, publicly.
But few people know that privately he is a person who is very down to earth with a kind heart, someone who has a soft spot for all the Pakistan players even though he might say some strong words about them in the media.
In the latest controversy surrounding the strong comments made by former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif on television, one has a feeling that the General would be better off looking at the whole affair from a humane angle. Rashid clearly was off track with his comments about the Pakistan Board, the Chairman, the coach Javed Miandad and the selectors, and this is not the first time that he has rubbed the authorities the wrong way.
*But this time the rub appears to have gone in deep since there is lot of talk going on in the Board about imposing a minimum ban of one year on Rashid to make an example of him for other players.
*
The board Chairman is said to be very upset with Rashid’s outburst and wants some action taken. According to board officials, Tauqir faces a difficult situation. If he allows Rashid to go scot free he would be setting a wrong example for other players to follow and violate the code of conduct. But at the same time he still has a lot of regard and respect for Rashid as a person and cricketer and is double-minded about what sort of disciplinary action can be taken against the wicketkeeper which should not prove to be the final nail in his coffin in terms of his cricket career.
And it should not come as a surprise that there are some people who would love to see the Board taking very strong action against Rashid and end his career finally.
But there is a catch to this scenario; if the Board comes down hard on Rashid it could evoke a wave of sympathy for him since one or few things that he said on television were not exactly off the mark. Talking to Rashid makes one realize that he has his reasons for his outburst on television. He feels frustrated and betrayed at not being considered good enough even to be selected in the list of probables for the one-day series against New Zealand when there is no doubt that he remains the best keeper in the country - leagues ahead than Moin Khan and Kamran Akmal.
Talk to the board officials and they have their logic for being very upset with Rashid. "In the past also he has challenged us and made us look bad with his comments, statements and actions. But we have always tried to cover them up and ignore them. But how long can this continue?
"As far as he is concerned he is always right the others are always wrong. If this Board is so bad why did it revive his career? Or why did the General make him captain," asked an official.
**The feeling in the Board is that Rashid is no longer a person to be relied upon and has to be taught a lesson. But before doing that the Board must take into account the fact that Rashid is not the only player to have ever violated the Board norms or what they call the code of conduct.
Other players, notably Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, have been involved in more serious violations and yet they have been let off with just a warning or fine despite bringing a bad name to Pakistan cricket. There have been cases of sexual misconduct and the same players have been selected again and again. There have been cases of the Board knowing well of some players being involved in shady dealings but they have also been selected again and again. So Rashid might have committed a mistake but not an unpardonable crime.**
Perhaps it was his frustration and anger that led him to write a letter to the Chairman and Chief executive asking them to explain on what grounds was he not considered even good enough for the list of probables when just a few weeks back he was the Pakistan captain. In that same letter Rashid also made his intentions clear to them that he intended to retire after the Test series against India respectfully and gracefully. And yet no one bothered to reply to him. There is a lobby in the board led by chief selector Aamir Sohail which propagates that Rashid is no longer fit.
But if that is the case then why didn’t Rashid relax after pulling out of the Test series against South Africa and why did he go back to playing for Allied bank in the inter-departmental rounds in which he performed well?
And if the selectors had any doubts about his fitness they should have called him to the training camp and let the doctors decide.
The Board also has to realize that they can’t just treat a senior player and captain like dirt. A Board official insists that Rashid didn’t behave like a former captain or in a dignified manner on television but than has the Board treated him in a dignified manner.
**One knows of instances where the Chairman forcibly had a player included in the Pakistan team and Rashid accepted the decision.
When he met with the Chairman in Karachi before the South Africa series he was told point blank to resign as captain he did it and didn’t utter any protest. And if there is supposed to be a code of conduct for players what about the Board officials?
Tauqir Zia lambasted Rashid in Karachi while talking to newsmen. Did a sitting Pakistan captain deserve this? Was Tauqir being dignified criticizing Rashid publicly. If the players are not supposed to say controversial things in public the same should apply to the Board officials also because Pakistan cricket survives and thrives on the players, not on the administrators. The bottom line is that a player like Rashid Latif is selected on merit in the Pakistan team not nominated or employed like others in the Board. Rashid may have a lot of negative qualities about him but he remains a honest man who has not been treated fairly in recent times.
He has every reason to be frustrated. Anyone would be if his application for a loan was not entertained while other players got the same without being active players. Anyone would be if he had his claim for insurance to cover an injury rejected. It is time for the Chairman to show his humane and just side and ensure no injustice is done to the former captain because they are people out there who are attempting to use this latest controversy to bury Rashid’s career once for all. A word of advise for the Board this is one man who will not take injustice lying down.
This is a man who was threatened by Mujeeb-ur-Rehman to change his statements on match fixing or face the dire consequences yet he stood his ground. And the Board might be surprised to find out that there are still a lot of people in Pakistan who will prefer to support a foolish but honest man.
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Source: The News - www.jang.com.pk/thenews
