LAHORE – The British lawyer of Pakistan’s suspended former Test captain Salman Butt said he was in Lahore on Thursday preparing for his client’s spot-fixing hearing next week.
Salman, along with bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, is to appear before an ICC anti-corruption tribunal, headed by Michael Beloff QC, in Doha from January 6-11. Salman and Aamer had their appeals against suspension rejected, while Asif withdrew his appeal.
Salman hired Yasin Patel last month after being represented by Khalid Ranja and Aftab Gul in the suspension appeal hearing. “I am in Lahore and busy in preparing for the case,” Patel told AFP in an email. He is expected to meet Pakistan Cricket Board officials, including the organisation’s legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi.
Salman said last month that he hired Patel, who is based in London, as he specialises in criminal defence. The three players also face the possibility of criminal proceedings by Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Scotland Yard has mounted its own investigation. The CPS has received two reports and is to determine whether the case is strong enough to prosecute on charges of conspiracy to defraud book-makers in Britain.
