Hussain Shah backs Sardar Mahar

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Olympian boxer Hussain Shah on Thursday backed the Sindh Sports Minister Sardar Mohammad Bux Mahar who is expected to fight for the president’s slot of the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF).

“I endorse Mahar’s candidature for the PBF presidency. He is the right man for the job,” Shah told ‘The News’ in a telephonic conversation from Tokyo. “Mahar belongs to a strong family and boxing needs such personalities. He would be able to bring sponsorship and would also be able to establish strong relations with the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) and AIBA,” said Shah, the only Pakistani boxer to have won a medal at the Olympics — bronze in the 1988 Seoul Games.

His son Shah Hussain plays judo. He became the first judoka to represent Pakistan in Olympics when he fought in Rio in August.

The former boxer criticised Doda-led PBF, saying they had failed to lift national boxing. “Doda and company don’t know anything about boxing. They failed to deliver and it would not be good for Pakistan’s boxing if the same group again prevailed in the elections,” Shah said.

Mahar’s group includes former PBF secretary Akram Khan.

Meanwhile, Doda group is set to bring Pakistan Olympic Association’s (POA) secretary Khalid Mehmood for the position of PBF president.

Doda has completed two four-year tenures as PBF chief and as per national sports policy is not eligible to contest for the post any more.

A plan is being made to create a post of chairman in the PBF constitution in order to accommodate Doda.

Khalid has neither denied nor confirmed his candidature, but it seems he is keen to fight for the slot.

“If the stakeholders want to make me president I am ready for the job,” Khalid told ‘The News’ on Thursday. “As president of the Punjab Boxing Association my services for boxing will always be there,” he added.

However he was quick to add that he would like to take into confidence all the legal stakeholders of the PBF.

“If I become the PBF president, I can make an effort to bring in those who have stayed away from boxing affairs,” Khalid said.

The elections are due by December 20, but there are chances that they may get delayed. The PBF plans to hold its general council meeting in December to decide the matter.