Hasan seeks action against PCB bosses

Pakistan’s HC in London blames PCB for mishandling the spot-fixing scandal.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s High Commission in London has blamed the top management of the country’s cricket board for mishandling the spot-fixing scandal and requested President Asif Zardari to take action, official sources said here on Wednesday.

High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan wrote a letter to President Zardari, criticising Pakistan Cricket Board’s top management for keeping the mission in the dark on issues related to the betting-scam involving Pakistani cricketers.

In the two-page letter, seen by The Express Tribune, Hasan alleged that PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt and other top officials vanished from the scene when Test Captain Salman Butt, pacemen Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were accused of spot-fixing in the final Test against England at Lord’s.

Wajid told the president that the PCB officials, who were in London throughout the crisis, did not brief him on the relevant laws dealing with spot-fixing.

The lack of cooperation from the PCB management put the High Commission on the defensive when the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended the accused players, Hasan added.

He informed the president that Pakistan could have pre-empted the ICC move and avoided embarrassment, had the PCB management briefed him about the relevant cricketing laws.

The high commissioner also strongly criticised the PCB media team for failing to present Pakistan’s case in the international media.

He requested President Zardari to take a decisive and appropriate action against the PCB management. However, he did not say if he wanted the removal of the top cricket management.

Official sources said President Zardari would take a decision after hearing the PCB’s viewpoint on the issue.

No one from the PCB was available to comment on the development.

Former test cricketers and fans have been calling for the removal of PCB chief Ijaz Butt and other top officials since the spot-fixing scandal hit the world cricket.

However, Ijaz Butt, who is a brother-in-law of Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, has so far survived. Sources said President Zardari will decide the fate of current PCB management once Pakistan received the investigation report from the Scotland Yard.

The trio alleged for spot-fixing – Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif –have filed replies to their temporary suspension by the ICC.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2010.