Pakistan sack cricket official Saleem Altaf by AFP

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Player:

Saleem Altaf

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DateLine: 1st September 2009

 

The Pakistan Cricket Board has sacked chief operating officer Saleem Altaf after he developed serious differences with chairman Ijaz Butt in the latest controversy to hit the game.

 

"Salim Altaf has been relieved of his duties in a unanimous decision by the governing board," the PCB said in a short message late Monday announcing the long-awaited sacking.

 

It said Wasim Bari would fill the post on a temporary basis.

 

The 65-year-old Altaf, a former fast bowler who played 21 Tests for Pakistan between 1967 and 1978, was appointed to the position when Butt took over in October 2008.

 

But Altaf developed differences with the chairman over administration matters which led to his sacking, his second in two years.

 

Former PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf sacked Altaf from the board in June 2008 for leaking sensitive information to the press.

 

Altaf said Tuesday he had not yet received a letter from the PCB.

 

"I have yet to receive any letter from the PCB and will go to the office as usual and will give my reaction to the news once I get the orders," Altaf told AFP.

 

Himself a lawyer, Altaf said he reserved the right to take legal action to get the decision reversed.

 

Altaf was first appointed manager of the Pakistan team to India in early 2005 before taking the post of director in the PCB.

 

The then PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan also sidelined Altaf and appointed him director special projects to look after matters relating to the World Cup 2011.

 

Altaf's sacking is the latest in a string of controversies to hit Pakistani cricket over the past decade, ranging from allegations of match-fixing and doping scandals to the sacking of captains, coaches and board officials.

 

Foreign teams have also refused to tour Pakistan over security fears, which led to the relocation of the Champions Trophy and the World Cup 2011 from the troubled country.

(Article: Copyright © 2009 AFP)