Butt spat with senate hots up

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt has written to senate chairman Farooq H Naek, challenging the senate's authority to probe national cricket affairs. The news was confirmed by a couple of senators contacted by Pakistan daily, the News, who said Butt seemed to be unaware of the senate's powers.

"Mr Butt has done nothing right since taking over as PCB chairman," said Tahir Mashhadi, a member of the senate's previous sports committee. "Now we've heard that he has written a letter challenging the senate's authority. He will be told about it as soon as senate's proceedings resume."

Latif Khosa, the attorney general of Pakistan, made it clear that parliament had every right to summon and investigate any organisation or individual. "The senate being a part of the parliament can carry out its investigation," Khosa said. "I'm yet to be approached by the senate on any such letter [from the PCB], but if my legal opinion is sought over this matter I would say that senate has every authority to carry out a probe."

Butt is already facing a privilege motion filed by five senators last month after he said at a press conference that the committee had no powers over national cricket affairs.

The panel, which has been probing national cricket affairs for a long time, said last month that the current PCB management was incompetent and recommended to president Asif Zardari, the Board's chief patron, that a new set-up should be appointed.

Soon afterwards, the Pakistan senate's standing committee on sports moved a resolution for an "immediate change" in the PCB management.

If Butt is found guilty of a breach of privilege, he would be asked to apologise. Mashhadi said anyone found guilty of breaching the senate's privilege could even be tried for sedition.