KARACHI: Former Secretary of Pakistan Tennis Federation Asif Dar has challenged the recently held elections of PTF in the Islamabad High Court.
Asif has filed a writ petition (W.P. 1105/2024) against IPC, Pakistan Sports Board, and Pakistan Tennis Federation in the IHC. The IHC issued notices to the parties and fixed the date of hearing as May 23rd. It has asked PTF to file before the date of hearing three copies of written statement or any other documents.
Asif has questioned the authenticity of Pakistan Tennis Federation’s elections. “Aisam ul Haq has been elected as President PTF with the margin of one vote and that vote was inauthentic,” said Asif while talking to ‘The News’.
Asif explained that after the death of the president of International Lawn Tennis Club (ILTC) Saeed Hai, Senior Vice President Iftikhar Rao is the head of ILTC and has the authority to issue letters. But, he added, Secretary of the ILTC posing himself as the president issued a letter recommending Aisam for the President post which was illegal.
“Thus, the vote of ILTC was inauthentic as PTF constitution says that either president of the affiliated body casts vote or his authorised representative will cast,” reasoned Asif.
Therefore, he added, in this case Aisam will lose one out of eight votes. Asif, who is also senior member of ILTC, said that he also conveyed in writing to the Chief Election Commissioner before the elections that only the representative authorised by Rao Iftikhar should be considered for voting.
“But the Chief Elections Commissioner decided to hold elections,” said Asif. He said that he wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner that after the death of Saeed Hai no new president had been elected for ILTC, therefore, all authority letters are signed by Senior Vice President of ILTC Rao Iftikhar.