Zahir calls for inquiry against former PHF official

ISLAMABAD: President Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Hockey Association Zahir Shah called on Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to first probe corruption charges levelled against one of the former officials before moving forward or thinking in terms of making any changes in the federation constitution.

Talking to The News Friday, Zahir Shah said progress on hockey front was badly marred by former secretary PHF Shahbaz Ahmad’s handling of the affairs. “When I was appointed as the chairman of the PHF Inquiry Committee, I strongly recommended inquiry against former secretary Shahbaz Ahmad who was alleged to have been drawing double salary. If that was the case, the inquiry should have been carried out against him. What the PHF wants at this point of time is to initiate inquiry against former officials rather than formation of different committees. Who has allowed Shahbaz to withdraw salary to the tone of Rs quarter a million per month from PHF kitty,” he questioned. Now when the PHF has been drained out financially, all those former officials who had taken perks and privileges from the PHF, unconstitutionally should be made accountable. “ The amount taken unconstitutionally from the PHF accounts should be deposited back in the kitty as the federation needs that. The federation requires money at this point of time to generate hockey activities in the country.”

Zahir Shah said that a detailed inquiry should be initiated to know as exactly who had minted money illegally during the last three and half year when Shahbaz was on the chair of secretary PHF. The KP Hockey Association president said there was no wisdom in constituting different committees at this point of time.

“The powers to form committees rest with the PHF Executive Board and not with the President PHF. “We don’t need committees at this point of time. What we need is to initiate inquiry as what has gone wrong that has crippled hockey activities in the country. It is the PHF Executive Board that has got the powers to constitute such committees. The Congress the ratifies committees formation.”