PakPassion has learnt that Salman Butt signed documentation with regards to his deportation from the United Kingdom within a few days of him entering Canterbury Prison.

By Saj Sadiq

June 20th, 2012

PakPassion has learnt that Salman Butt signed documentation with regards to his deportation from the United Kingdom within a few days of him entering Canterbury Prison.

Canterbury Prison holds foreign national prisoners (convicted of crimes in the UK) that are serving less than four years of a sentence, with an expectation of removal. Inmates shortly after they enter the prison are given the option of signing the deportation papers which reduce their sentence by 75%.

Both Butt and Mohammad Asif were given the option to sign the deportation documentation but Asif declined the offer, which was within his rights.

Asif preferred to serve his full sentence rather than sign the deportation documents which would have meant him being deported after serving a quarter of his sentence. He has instead stated that he wishes to appeal against his conviction and therefore did not opt to sign the deportation documents.

Butt the former captain of the Pakistan cricket team however decided to sign the documents which now mean that he is due to be deported in the next day or two.

Butt was sentenced to serve 30 months last November on charges of accepting corrupt payments during the Lord’s Test against England in August 2010.

Butt, team mates Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, and agent Mazhar Majeed were accused of contriving deliberate no-balls in return for money.

Amir was released in February after serving half of his six-month sentence while Asif, jailed for 12 months, was freed in May, after serving half of his sentence.

Butt’s father Zulfiqar said his son was being released early and was quoted as saying “We expect him to be released tonight".

“My son’s good behaviour has led to the decision and he will be in Pakistan in the next three to four days,” Zulfiqar added.

However the issue of good behaviour is not relevant in this matter, as Butt after signing the deportation papers was due to be released after serving 25% of his sentence which is approximately seven and a half months.

PakPassion also understands that Butt has already been released from Canterbury prison and is at an immigration holding centre awaiting his deportation to Pakistan.