PCB sacks Altaf for 'leaking' confidential e-mail

Karachi:

Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday sacked former Test player Saleem Altaf from the post of Director, Special Projects, on charges of leaking confidential information of the board.

According to sources, the decision came on Thursday after an exchange of words between Altaf and PCB Chairman Nasim Ashraf.

Altaf was accused of leaking Ashraf's e-mail to team manager Talat Ali in which the PCB chief had lambasted the Pakistan team for their disastrous performance in the ongoing tri-series in Bangladesh.

Altaf was Director Cricket Operations in the tenure of former PCB chief Shaharyar Khan but was demoted to Director Special Projects after Ashraf took charge in late 2006.
An official of the board said Altaf had been removed from his position with immediate effect.

The decision came on a day when some newspapers published a confidential email that Ashraf had sent to the Pakistan team manager, Talat Ali in Bangladesh after the team lost to India in the tri-series this week.

Ashraf in his strong mail lashed out at the Pakistan captain, coach and players for their poor performance.

Sources said the board suspected Altaf was behind the leakage of this mail and other sensitive information in recent days and they were not happy with the situation, which caused them lot of embarrassment in recent times.

Altaf was directly appointed to the board by the chief patron President Pervez Musharraf and sources said he was pushing to be put on the 2012 World Cup Committee.

Altaf said he was disappointed and upset with the way his services were terminated.

"They have given me nothing in writing. They just told me today you are sacked and leave the office. My driver came to the stadium and they seized the car by force and took the keys and told the security personal to show me the way out. Is this the way to treat former players?" he asked.

Altaf said he was consulting with his legal advisor and if the board didn't give his termination in writing he would take legal action.

"They charged me with leaking information which is totally wrong," Altaf said.

Board officials said the decision to sack Altaf came after the Chairman ordered his telephone to be bugged and recorded some eight hours of discussions he had with various people.

Altaf said tapping of his phone was illegal and he would seek legal redress on this.

"I am a former Pakistan player who has remained selector, manager and administrator. I came to serve Pakistan cricket. This is how they treat me," he said.