Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board has firmly dismissed claims made in a recent story by DAWN concerning the provision of accommodation and travel expenses for officials in the President's Trophy Grade-II Silver matches.

According to Pakistan Cricket Board, the article penned by DAWN's sports reporter Mohammad Yaqoob inaccurately stated that Lahore-based match officials previously received hotel accommodations and travel allowances when supervising matches in Muridke and Sheikhupura. The board clarified that the arrangements for accommodations were historically made for regional teams at the Country Club residence, and officials were housed alongside these teams, regardless of their hometowns.

In the current tournament, departmental teams requested to be accommodated in Lahore, which means officials based in Lahore will also commute back daily after each match. The PCB reiterated that officials traveling between Lahore, Muridke, and Sheikhupura will have their travel costs covered by the board. However, since Lahore-based officials are not considered outstation when working in Muridke and Sheikhupura, they are not eligible for additional travel allowances or hotel stays.

The PCB further criticized the DAWN report for mentioning the hometowns of officials from various cities, such as Faisalabad and Gujranwala, in a story centered on Lahore-based officials. The board suggested this reflected a malicious intent to tarnish the PCB's reputation. It was also highlighted that officials from other cities will receive travel and accommodation expenses in line with established policies.