The Growing Dictatorship Within PCB Silencing the Free Press in Cricket

Arslan Javed

In a country where journalism has long battled against suppression, the latest authoritarian chapter has unfolded in the most unexpected place — the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Under the leadership of Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Media Director Aamer Mir — both ironically former journalists — the PCB seems to be emulating a mini-dictatorship, cracking down on press freedom with an iron fist.

It is a sad irony that those who once stood for journalistic integrity are now silencing it. Journalists asking critical or uncomfortable questions are being removed from PCB’s official media WhatsApp groups without notice. Accreditation is being denied on personal whims, and the board’s media department is being run like a state-controlled propaganda unit.

I, too, was removed from the PCB media WhatsApp group without any explanation — a move that reflects the intolerance of even mild criticism. The message is loud and clear: toe the line or be shown the door.

Take the case of sports journalist Qadir Khawaja — a staunch supporter of PCB’s position in the ICC Champions Trophy debate, a consistent defender of Pakistan’s cricket narrative in the face of Indian propaganda, and someone who actively contributed towards stadium development stories and positive coverage. His only “crime”? A few sentences criticizing incompetent bureaucrats in a TV program. He has now been blacklisted and silenced for over two months.

This is not an isolated incident. Senior journalist Asher Butt was also removed from the group, only to be re-added after backlash from respected media professionals and journalist organizations. Reporters in Karachi have faced similar removals. In one shocking case, a bureau chief was reportedly contacted directly by PCB officials with threats of action after one of their reporters asked a tough question in a press conference.

Such behavior is nothing short of bullying. It reflects a mindset that sees media not as a partner in promoting the game, but as a threat to be controlled. Journalists are being harassed, sidelined, and their professional rights are being trampled upon — just for doing their job.

What we’re witnessing is a blatant abuse of power. The PCB media department is not a ministry of information. Journalists are not enemies of the board — unless the board wants to create enemies by suppressing facts and criticism. The duty of the press is to speak the truth — to call out what’s wrong and appreciate what’s right. But in the current PCB regime, calling a spade a spade has become a punishable offense.

This authoritarianism must end. Cricket belongs to the people, and media is the bridge that connects the fans with the game. Silencing that bridge will only isolate the board and damage its already fragile credibility. If former journalists now in power cannot protect press freedom, then who will?

It’s time for the PCB to stop acting like a political institution and start behaving like a professional sports body — transparent, accountable, and respectful of press freedom.