The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday sacked coach Geoff Lawson, nearly six months before the completion of his contract.

The former Australian pacer has been given three months pay as per his contractual clause and told to leave.

"The decision to release Lawson has been taken by the Chairman," a board official said.

In another major decision, PCB chairman Ejaz Butt also sacked chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi, replacing him with his trusted aide and former Test pacer Saleem Altaf.

Altaf will be the Director-General of the board with additional powers of chief operating officer.

"Lawson's contract was to expire next year but the PCB wants to make a fresh target and build a new set-up. So it was decided to release him with full compensation," one official said.

He said Lawson has been informed about the board's decision but the Australian was unavailable for a comment on the PCB's decision.

Ejaz Butt has been highly critical of the performance of Lawson and described him as a useless person at his first press conference last Monday. 

Butt had made it clear Lawson's contract would not be renewed next year. Lawson was hired in August last year after the untimely death of Englishman Bob Woolmer [Images] during the World Cup.

His contract was to end next year.