Khokhar calls PHF Congress to seek vote of confidence

ISLAMABAD: President Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Brig (rtd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar has suspended all office-bearers and convened an extra-ordinary Congress meeting in Islamabad on August 31 to seek a vote of confidence.

In a major development, the PHF president instead of taking the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) August 16 notification head-on has decided to seek a fresh vote of confidence.

Besides all other officials, the President PHF will also seek the vote of confidence. The decision was taken following a high-level meeting held in Islamabad where all developments were discussed before deciding on the future course of action.

The president under the prevailing PHF constitution clause 12.10.3 has all the powers to suspend the existing PHF office-bearers and ask them to seek the vote of confidence. “Besides all office-bearers, the President PHF who is legally athourised to chair the PHF Extraordinary Congress meeting, will also seek the vote of confidence from the House,” an official said.

“In light of the August 16 Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) suspension letter, all the PHF officials are suspended till the time they obtain a vote of confidence from Congress meeting,” the PHF Office Orders signed by Raja Ghazanfar Ali (Office Secretary) says.

All the Congress members who were on the list of August 22, 2022, Congress meeting will be allowed to attend August 31, 2023, extraordinary Congress meeting.

According to 'The News' investigation there are 97 members of the PHF Congress out of which ten positions are vacant. That means in all 87 Congress members will be allowed to cast their votes in the meeting, meaning an official requires at least 44 votes to get a vote of confidence from the Congress if all the 87 members are present to cast their votes. Otherwise, the majority of those present would be enough.

President, Secretary, treasurer, Associate Secretary and four vice-presidents will seek vote of confidence from the house.

Since it is mandatory to give at least seven days' time to the Congress members to make themselves available, the House has been asked to gather at a local hotel in Islamabad on August 31.

The agenda also includes ex-post facto sanction of the Congress. 'The News' has learnt that in case an official fails to seek the vote of confidence, the house will have all the powers to elect new office-bears who must be a member of the Congress.