ISLAMABAD: Some leading cricket stadiums in the country may not get ready by the time the Indians land here to play their Test and one-day series, as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has prematurely ordered the stoppage of renovation and development work besides initiating several other inquiries in a bid to start a fresh policy.

A well-placed source in the PCB confirmed to ‘The News’ that the newly appointed PCB chairman has ordered for immediate stoppage of the renovation, construction and development work on all projects, including those that were getting ready for the tour of India, with immediate affect.

The projects include the one where the construction work was under way at a rapid pace to meet the deadline.

“Since the Indians are expected to tour Pakistan in the first week of January, majority of the renovation and construction work was scheduled to be completed in the month of November and December. But now when the PCB chairman has ordered for stoppage of work on all the ventures, chances are the construction work might not get completed by the given deadline,” a source close to the chairman confirmed to ‘The News’.

It is now unlikely that the venues specially the Rawalindi and Lahore stadiums may not get ready by the time the Indians arrive here to play their Test and one-day series.

“If the new chairman wanted to initiate an inquiry, he should have done that without stopping the work on the stadiums. There is more than one implication involved in halting the renovation and development work. Even the contractors who have reached an agreement with the PCB could take the Board to the court,” a former Test cricketer when contacted told ‘The News’.

He said the PCB should initiate all out effort to ensure the Indian team’s visit to Pakistan. “If Dr Nasim Ashraf could successfully fight the Champions Trophy case, why not the new chairman. They should go all out to ensure India tours Pakistan. If you have the ability to put your case on merit, there are good chances that India would come to Pakistan to play Test and one-day series. The series against India is of great importance for the future of Pakistan cricket,” he said.

Meanwhile, the official close to the PCB chairman had also confirmed that orders has been issued to freeze all the PCB accounts the day Ijaz Butt took over as the chairman.

“The orders have been issued to freeze all the accounts. However, at the same time the newly appointed chairman has made a fresh appointment,” he said.

Inquiry has also been ordered against the PCB officials who made a change in the team submitted by the selection committee headed by Salauddin Sallu. “It has been learnt that Shoaib Khan had been included in the line-up on the recommendations of Sports Ministry.”

Another inquiry that had been launched was against the official who was responsible of sending journalists to Canada to cover the on-going twenty-20 competition.

“Never before such an inquiry has been launched. If PCB wants to make changes in the policy they can do it and implement a fresh policy,” the former cricketer said.