Butt's May Removed From PCB Chairman Post

Karachi: Ejaz Butt may soon be removed from the post of PCB Chairman as Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has given his consent for a major overhaul in the Cricket Board, according to sources.

Sources say Zardari, who is also PCB patron, has taken note of recent controversies and complaints against Butt and may soon remove him from his job.

"Indications are that the President has finally taken notice of the complaints by the members of the National Assembly and Senate Standing committees on Sports," one well-informed source said.

Heads of both the committees had publicly demanded removal of Butt after team's disastrous tour combined with a series of controversies rocked Pakistan cricket.

The source said that another point that has gone against Butt is his giving relatives and close friends key positions and ignoring other deserving candidates.

"His insistence on continuing with Yawar Saeed and giving him important positions like the national team managership despite criticism from many quarters has also gone against Butt," the source added.

The source said that the chief patron is likely to announce some changes next week with a senior figure in the Pakistan Peoples Party expected to get the PCB Chairman's post.

"It is also in the pipeline that Jamshed Dasti who headed the NA committee on Sports and was a strong critic of Butt will also be made sports minister next week as the current minister Ijaz Jakhrani has agreed to a change his portfolio in the cabinet," the source disclosed.

He said if Dasti came into power as sports minister it would be a big blow to Butt as the bitter relations between them are well known in the government circles.

The source also said that Nauman Niaz, a well known cricket analyst and writer, who has worked previously in the Board was also in line to get an important position in the cricket set up when the changes were made.

Butt has repeatedly said that he would continue to work as long as he was satisfied with his job but had made it clear that the day the chief patron asked him to resign he would not hesitate to step down.