LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has added former chairman and Test cricketer Ramiz Raja to the list of pensioners.
On Wednesday, PCB's management committee shared an updated list of pensioners after the addition of Raja who became eligible for pension following his dismissal from chairmanship.
Raja, who turned 60 during his chairmanship tenure, reportedly applied for pension soon after he was removed from PCB office.
PCB accepted his request and added him to the list which has now 64 former Test cricketers. Raja will start getting pension from February 2023.
Moreover, PCB also shared details of pension in different categories. 24 former Test cricketers will receive PKR154,000, seven will receive PKR148,000 and 32 will take PKR142,000.
Former Test cricketer and Prime Minister Imran Khan will also receive PKR154,000 monthly as pension.
The PCB Players’ Welfare Policy was last updated in January 2019. To ensure there were no future delays in the increase in the pension amounts, the PCB also confirmed there will be an annual inflation increase.
“It gives me immense pleasure and happiness to announce the increase in pension amounts and other amendments to the PCB Players’ Welfare Policy. With a former cricketer at the helm of Pakistan cricket affairs, the expectation was that I will always protect and look after the interests and welfare of all present and past cricketers. I am delighted that I have been able to fulfil another of my commitments and have amended the policy in such a way that there will now be an annual increase in the pension amounts," former PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja had said in May last year.
“While improving the pension amounts, we have also ensured security for a cricketer’s widow. As a former cricketer, I know and understand the sacrifices of the families, particularly the spouses that allow cricketers to fulfil their ambitions and dreams of representing their country at the highest level. I am confident this incremental increase of the pension policy will give a lot of peace and satisfaction to the cricketers as well as their families.
“The PCB is an institution that has a proud history of respecting and appreciating its cricketers. These amendments to the PCB Players’ Welfare Policy are a testament to our commitment and on behalf of this organisation, I once again assure all retired cricketers that we will continue to support them in any way we can, be it through the PCB Players’ Welfare Policy or the PCB Benevolent Fund, which exists to support and help cricketers facing financial challenges and hardships.”
Sohail Imran Sohail Imran is a senior reporter for Geo News.- Ramiz Raja
