NA body not happy with PHF

ISLAMABAD: Members of the National Assembly Standing Committee on IPC on Tuesday questioned the Pakistan Hockey Federation’s decision to reinstate Shahbaz Ahmad as the PHF secretary after he resigned in the wake of the national team’s poor performance in the World Cup.

Senior member Iqbal Mohammad Ali initiated the discussion on the poor state of affairs of Pakistan hockey. “I am amazed at the PHF president’s decision to reinstate Shahbaz. Why and under which constitution has he been asked to continue? There is no check and balance in the PHF. We must call a separate meeting to discuss hockey issues,” he said.

Chairman Agha Hasan Baloch confirmed that PHF officials would be summoned in the next meeting.

Secretary IPC Akbar Durrani said Rs540 million were given to the PHF in the last four years. “We have started forensic audit of sports federations including that of hockey. We will not give any grants to the federations till we see the audit report.”

Members were concerned over the unnecessary powers given to the Task Force on Sports. “The ministry and parliamentarian committees are more important. Real power is with the ministry, not with the task force. Why is everything at a standstill because of the task force? We must also convene a meeting with the task force members,” Iqbal Mohammad Ali said.

Mehboob Shah called for professional training of players in major sports. Gul Zafar Khan expressed his concerns over neglecting populous parts of tribal areas while selecting sites to develop sports infrastructure.