IPC Ministry to attend PHF meeting

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) has decided to become part of the Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) 54th Congress meeting and invite all stake-holders to give their opinion before deciding on the future of the struggling body.

Jamil Ahmad, secretary IPC, confirmed to ‘The News’ that he had directed PHF officials on the fresh step taken by the ministry. “Yes, since the PHF has convened 54th Congress meeting in Islamabad on Monday morning, the government has decided to become part of the meeting as to know what has gone wrong in the game during the last three to four years.”

Pakistan have finished poor 12th in the World Cup Hockey held in India early this month. For the first time in the history of the game Pakistan national team returned home without winning a single game.

“There is no doubt that hockey situation is pathetic. Results are not coming despite the fact that the government had dole out record grant to the body during the last three to four years,” Jamil said.

The IPC secretary said that high-ups were very upset at the ongoing hockey plight and had directed the ministry to furnish report about the debacle.”

He said he would also invite all the major stakeholders for the meeting. “The IPC wants to have a brainstorming session with the all relevant stakeholders before finalising report and taking the future course of action.”

Under the PHF Constitution, the Patron-in-Chief Prime Minister of Pakistan has got all the powers to appoint or sack any PHF official. Like cricket, the ultimate powers rest with the PM when it comes to deciding matters.

Meanwhile, under the instructions of prime minister, the IPC Ministry has already ordered special/forensic audit of 14 leading federations including PHF for the last five years.

The ministry has already written a letter to all concerned federations. “It has been desired to conduct the audit of the accounts of national sports federations of grants-in-aid released to the sports federations for the last five years,” the letter says.

The letter quoted the PSB constitution clause 12 (1) “The government has power to check and inspect accounts and general working of the national games and sports organisations if deems fit.”

The 14 federations that would be under forensic audit are: hockey, athletics, billiard and snooker association, baseball, judo, kabaddi, squash, sailing, ski, tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting, volleyball and wrestling.

According to forensic audit requirements, the ministry can also hire services of reputed firms/individuals to help in completing the audit of the federation in true spirit and to avoid any nexus between any two parties.