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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Tauqir Zia's sudden, unilateral and mind-boggling decision to break "all cricketing relations with India" was nothing less than a rude shock for the lovers of the game in this country.

To come out with such a harsh policy decision and that too when India's so-called decision of pulling out of next month's Sharjah Cup didn't come either from the Foreign Office or sports ministry, is rather depressing to say the least. At least, the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series (CBFS) acted more professionally, sensibly and patiently than the Pakistan administrators by refusing to react immediately to the story which has created a lot of chaos and confusion.

What prompted Zia to say that "we have had enough and we are not going to rethink" when the International Cricket Council (ICC) April 30 deadline to India to clearly explain its official policy viz-a-viz Pakistan had yet to expire, could be anybody's guess.

But to me, it is a pronouncement made in haste and is going to hurt nobody but the game of cricket in general and Pakistan in particular.

What is amusing as well as confusing is the contradiction in the stance taken by the PCB chairman and the board's director Brig Munawwar Rana who is quoted as saying that Pakistan will play India in India if the ICC knockout tournament was staged there. But only a few hours later Zia, reacting to Indian government's decision to pull out of the Sharjah tournament, said: "We would not like to play cricket with India any more."

To me, his reaction is as much devoid of prudence as Indian sports minister's bias for Pakistan. But the interesting part of the story is that India is not contemplating withdrawing its cricket team because of Pakistan's appearance as one of the teams.

Their consideration is different. It does not want to play in off- shore one-day events because of the menace of match-fixing, allegedly rampant in such tournaments.

The PCB chairman did not need to be so angry without going into the depth of the matter to say that he would not chair the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting to be held in Sharjah on April 15 "in protest".

Protest against what, is the question. If he really sticks to his decision it will make Pakistan a laughing stock among the comity of cricket playing nations.

The best course for PCB would have been to wait for the ICC to decide the issue. They have already chalked out a ten-year cricket calendar. India and Pakistan are scheduled to play six home away series' during this period. If Indian politicians like Uma Bharti opt to adopt some sort of a "boycott Pakistan" posture, the ICC will be forced to come out with a clear cut policy involving India and Pakistan.

And that will be clear after April 30 which is just about a month from now. In the meantime, Pakistan could continue fulfilling its commitments including the Sharjah tournament. That would mean throwing the ball in Uma Bharti's court and save Pakistan from being humiliated when the ICC meets next month.

And a word of wisdom, if Gen Tauqir is interested. While the government of Gen Pervez Musharraf is extending its hand of cooperation to bring peace and harmony in the subcontinent, statements like the one given by him would serve no one but those who want perpetual confrontation between the two countries.

The next couple of weeks will be interesting because the PCB chairman will have to answer a lot of questions from Gen Musharraf and his foreign policy advisors.

It would not be a surprise if his shocking announcement of Sunday proves to be the end of his crisis-ridden tenure as head of the cricket board, which has been severely criticized by all quarters for mismanagement and for creating unstability in the national team currently touring New Zealand.

© Dawn