According to a spokesman of the Waljees office in Islamabad, the individual assigned to handle the PCB travelling had failed to pursue the case properly. ``He had failed to get a confirmation from PIA's Computer Reservation Centre (CRC) in Karachi on Wednesday evening because of the shortage of time,'' the spokesman, requesting not to be identified, said. The official said the seats of other passengers (10 players, three officials and two umpires) were confirmed ``with only the seats of Arshad Khan, Shahid Nazir and Aamir Hayat Rokhri being on priority.''

According to a PIA spokesman, the CRC had conveyed the traffic four hours before the departure of PK 876 about the seat confirmation of 249 passengers in the Colombo-bound aircraft which had the capacity of 214. Investigations further reveal that the three members were not at all booked for Karachi to Colombo. However, they were booked by Air Lanka on July 28 from Colombo to Karachi and then PK 314 to Lahore. In this background, it can easily be gauged that the initial mess-up had been created by the travel agents. Had they managed to approach PIA's CRC, the seats of three officials would have been confirmed on priority. The PIA spokesman further blamed the Pakistan cricket team for its late arrival. ``Had they arrived at 5:00 am., as per airline rules, something might have been done in order to get the seats confirmed after knowing two hours before the departure that the seats were unconfirmed. But since they arrived after 6:00 am to board the flight whose initial take -off was at 7:00 am, nothing could be done. ``At least two Pakistan cricket team officials could have been accommodated on jump seats but since they arrived after the captain of the aircraft had gone to his aeroplane, that opportunity was also wasted,'' the spokesman said. However, sources said revenue passengers can not be adjusted on jump seats as per instructions of IATA.

According to CAA regulations, the cabin-crew reports at the aircraft two hours before departure while the captain, who is the only authorised man to allocate jump seats, reports one hour before departure. Meanwhile, the PIA has completed its investigations and have finalised the report which it is expected to submit to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). According to sources, PCB is convinced that the blunder has done by PIA and not by its travel agents. It is believed that PCB's faith in Waljees is because on the basis of the report of Waqar Ahmad, Secretary, PCB, who conducted an incomplete investigation before announcing through a Press release that seats of all its 18 passengers were confirmed.

Meanwhile, the PIA report is:

``The scheduled departure of PK 876 was 7:00 am. but it was delayed for 55 minutes to provide connection to 41 passengers arriving from PK 228. ``Flight was over-booked by 35 passengers in economy class. Three Pakistan cricket team members were not confirmed. As the flight was heavily over-booked, the team manager, Zaheer Abbas, spoke to Director, Airport Services, to replace two players with two non-playing members as they had to play a match on Saturday.

``Zaheer Abbas and physiotherapist offered seats to playing members. ``Fifteen no record/over-booked transit passengers could not be adjusted on this flight. The passengers were sent to the hotel and telex was sent to Karachi RE i.e. for alternate booking.

``Qaisar Raza and Mansoor Ali were deputed to look after the cricket team.''