Under-fire PCB chief Ijaz Butt has been asked by higher authorities to appoint new officials in the Pakistan Cricket Board or forget about getting an extension after his two-year term expires later this month. Well placed sources in the government have disclosed that the embattled Butt has been given until October 10 to take a decision on forming a new set up of administrators and cricket technocrats in the board. "Butt has been told he can continue till the World Cup but only with a new team and the present set of officials should be changed," one source said.
"The orders have come from the top including the President who is also chief patron of the board and the Prime Minister," the source stated.
Butt who is currently in London has been told to take a decision on the new set up by October 10 or relinquish his charge.
Signs of impending changes in the board also came on Friday night when the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani gave a hearing to two former employees of the board, Zahid Bashir and Noman Niaz.
Bashir worked as director marketing during the tenure of Tauqir Zia and Shaharyar Khan between 2000 and 2004 while Noman worked in the media department and also remained an analyst with the team during Tauqir's time.
Sources said Bashir, who was also press secretary to the Prime Minister, had been pulling strings to get back into the board.
"During the meeting the Premier exchanged views on the cricket scenario with Bashir and Niaz and also offered them key positions in the new set up of the board," the source said.
"But the Premier made it clear that if Butt agreed to bring a new set up the two would have to work under his chairmanship," he added.
Another source said that former Test captain, Javed Miandad who has also met with President Asif Zardari to discuss cricket affairs is expected to get more authority and say in the cricket matters in the new set-up.
"Until now Butt has kept Miandad sidelined by making him director cricket but virtually giving him no authority or say in cricket matters at all," the source said.
"But the higher authorities now want Butt to bring about changes and try to put Pakistan cricket back on the right track," he added.
