Beleaguered PCB chief’s ‘letter of apology’ unlikely to save him from the guillotine

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s Senate Committee on Privileges has said that a letter of apology from PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt would not have any affect on its recommendation to President and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) patron Asif Ali Zardari.

The senate committee has recommended Butt’s removal after finding him guilty on charges that he maligned and questioned the credibility of some of its members on sports.

Butt had reportedly sent a letter of apology to the committee after he was called for a hearing to respond to the charges last week.

However, Senator Tahir Mashadi, who heads the privileges committee, said: “We have not received any letter from Ijaz and even if he has sent a letter it will make no difference as we have already sent our recommendations to remove him.”

He said that the PCB Chairman was given a fair chance to defend himself against the charges made out against him.

“He (Ijaz) came ill-prepared, he took things lightly and he could not convince the committee that he had not insulted the lawmakers,” The Daily Times quoted Mashadi, as saying.

“So, even if he has sent any letter we can’t do anything now. Since last year the National Assembly and Senate Standing Committees on Sports have also recommended to the chief patron to remove him.”

“So, basically now three parliamentary committees have passed votes of no-confidence against him, and we believe the chief patron will now take appropriate action,” he added.

Mashadi further said that the issue of Butt insulting the lawmakers and the Privileges Committee would also be brought before and discussed in the full session of the Senate.

“He should have apologised to us when he came for the hearing and we could have considered his apology. It is beyond our control now and the law will take its course,” he added.

In the first privilege motion, the PCB chief in February last year said in a statement that he was not answerable to the Parliament as the President is the patron and he was only answerable to him.

The second privilege motion was moved by Senator Haroon Khan and Senator Tariq Azeem, in which both the senators were of the view that Butt on an occasion passed derogatory remarks not only against them, but also against the whole parliament. (ANI)