Sports

Salman pins hope on sole lawyer

Former captain’s legal team reduced to his Yasin Patel.

Express December 23, 2010

KARACHI: Salman Butt’s legal counsel now only consists of Britain-based Indian lawyer Yasin Patel after former president of Pakistan’s Supreme Court Bar Association Aitzaz Ahsan and his associate Shahid Saeed parted ways with the former captain.

Former Pakistan law minister Khalid Ranjha and Aftab Gul, who formed Salman’s legal team earlier, have already distanced themselves from the case.

Ahsan and Saeed were hired only to file a final reply to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“Salman sent his final reply to the ICC through Saeed who is an associate of Ahsan,” an official close to the case told The Express Tribune.

“Both of them conveyed to Salman that they would not be representing him anymore. The lawyers are not happy at the way Salman is handling the case.

“They were miffed with his decisions to consult more and more lawyers.”

The official added that the former captain, suspended over spot-fixing charges, is not serious with the case and that prompted the lawyers to part ways.

The hearing of the suspended trio that also includes Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir is set to take place from January 6 to 11 in Doha.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (2)

Ahmad | 13 years ago | Reply Having read up on both Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan & his senior associate Mr. Shahid Saeed , they do not appear to be the sort who walk away from a fight . Don't forget they took on the CJP case and got him restored on July 20, 2007 despite all the odds (including a sitting army chief / president) . They thereafter challanged the candidacy of the very same sitting army chief / president, who imposed a state of emergency and went after them . The odds in this case are nothing in comparison . Both Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan & his senior associate Mr. Shahid Saeed have ample cause to disassociate themselves in this particular instance . Its obvious that Salman's flippant habit of changing lawyers (similar to changing shirts which one does everyday) , has messed up his case . Any lawyer in his right mind would not want to be handicapped with such a client who is his own worst enemy . For the sake of Pakistan Cricket or whats left of it , i pray this matter gets resolved (either way) & we can finally move on from what can be described as nothing more than a circus .

kham | 13 years ago | Reply I guess they dont want to handle his case because there is enough evidence against him.

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