AFTER having completed part of his custodial sentence in England, Salman Butt was deported to Pakistan.

Soon after reaching here, he held press conferences and appeared in talk shows, maintaining his innocence to various criminal charges for which he was convicted by a jury.

What he fails to understand (as well as those who are advising him) that he was tried in the open at public expense.

At his trial, his counsel put the best possible defence he could get but the evidence was found to have been compelling and irrefutable. Beyond any reasonable doubt he was found guilty as charged.

After his conviction, he appealed on paper, which was turned downed. He could have asked for an oral hearing but he did not.

Also, he could have gone to the Supreme Court of England and Wales on appeal but his likely grounds would have been without any merits and, presumably, his Counsel advised him against it.

On his own volition and on the advice of his solicitors, he signed the papers and he was released on parole and deported to Pakistan.

‘Release on parole’ simply means that he in his own accord accepted and admitted his guilt and showed remorse.

After having gone through the due judicial process, what is now the point of this nonsense? He simply has no credibility.

Why can’t he just keep silent, try to get on with his life and move on.

He and his advisors must understand that his case cannot be reopened unless new evidence comes to light and that is highly improbable.

HUMAYUN AKHTAR London