Pakistan team media manager Umar Kalson under scanner for visiting Colombo casino
_vb_70.jpeg)
Karachi (PTI): Pakistan team's current media manager Umar Farooq Kalson and board's GM (International Cricket) Adnan Ali are under scanner after pictures and video footages emerged of the duo visiting a Colombo casino.
Both are in Colombo in official capacity as a part of the Pakistani contingent for the ongoing Asia Cup and visiting a gambling den is sure to attract attention of ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit as it is one of the prohibited places as per code of conduct. Many Pakistani fans on social media questioned how officials of the PCB could be so "immature" and "careless" as to indulge in gambling.
Many criticised the trend of many PCB officials going on to Colombo during the Asia Cup on official visits.
A PCB source said that at least 15-20 PCB officials had travelled o and fro between Colombo and Lahore while some were stationed there permanently as Pakistan was the official host of the Asia Cup.
After some Pakistani news channels ran headlines, the two officials in the Casino later clarified that they had only gone to the Casino to have dinner, a claim ridiculed by all and sundry on social media and also by some former test players.
“Who goes to a Casino to have food. Who goes to a gambling joint to have food. Who are they trying to fool," cricket writer Omair Alavi said.
The source said the two PCB officials shouldn’t have gone to the Casino where gambling was taking place.
"They could face strict disciplinary action on return,” he added.
The PCB’s Cricket Management Committee, according to him, would be hard pressed to ignore the incident despite the clarification from the two officials.
Former Test opener Mohsin Khan also expressed surprise at the irresponsible behaviour of the two PCB officials to go to a Casino during the tournament.
Ironically during the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Pakistan's former captain Moin Khan who was manager and chief selector with the team, was called back to Pakistan in the middle of the tournament after he and his wife were spotted at a Casino in Christchurch before a match against West Indies.
Moin also claimed his innocence that they had gone to have dinner but the then PCB Chairman, Shaharyar Khan made it clear that Moin had breached the team's and his contractual code of conduct.
Khan at that time had justified his strong action to recall and then sack Moin by pointing out that all PCB officials and players had to adhere to the board’s and ICC’s Anti-Corruption Code which strictly advised against visiting places where gambling takes place or there are increased chances of corruption.
Apparently one senior official was even given a dressing down by Jay Shah during a meeting in Pallekele.
The ACC chairman and BCCI supremo Shah apparently reacted strongly to some of the comments made by the PCB official at the meeting.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Ramadan, Lent coincide this year — happens once in 30 yrs
This year, Ramadan and Lent are reportedly being observed during the same period, a calendar overlap that happens only once in roughly 30 to 33 years.
According to a post by ‘That Dubai Page’ on Instagram both are important periods of fasting in Islam and Christianity respectively, but they follow different calendars, which is why their dates usually do not align.
What is Lent?
Lent is a 40-day period in the Christian liturgical calendar observed before Easter.
It is marked by fasting, prayer, repentance and self-examination.
The duration of 40 days reflects the time Jesus is believed to have fasted in the wilderness. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends before Easter Sunday, and the feast mass is celebrated on Saturday.
The exact dates change every year because they are linked to Easter, which is calculated based on the Christian liturgical calendar.
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer and spiritual discipline. From dawn to sunset each day, adult and able-bodied Muslims abstain from food and drink. The fast is broken at sunset.
Unlike Lent, Ramadan does not follow the Gregorian calendar.
According to admiddleeast.com , Ramadan depends on the sighting of the new crescent moon, known as the hilāl, which signals the start of the new lunar month.
Religious committees in many Muslim-majority countries meet after sunset on the 29th day of the preceding month, Sha‘ban, to look for the moon.
If it is sighted, Ramadan begins the next day. If not, Sha‘ban is completed as a 30-day month and Ramadan starts after that.
While Saudi Arabias announcement is widely followed, each country makes its own official declaration.
Why dont they always overlap?
The Islamic lunar calendar has around 354 days, which is about 10 to 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar.
Because of this difference, Ramadan shifts earlier by about 10 or 11 days each year. Over time, it moves through all seasons.
Lent, on the other hand, is tied to Easter and the Christian liturgical calendar. Since the two religious observances are based on different systems for calculating dates, they rarely fall at the same time.
How often does the overlap happen?
The overlap happens in cycles of approximately 30 to 33 years. When it happens, Ramadan and Lent may coincide for a few consecutive years. After that, they do not align again for decades.
Following the current cycle, major overlaps are not expected again until the 2050s.
