PSB de-notifies PHF officials over election delay

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has de-notified/dismissed the officials of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) for failing to hold federation’s elections in time.

Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Director General Lt Col (r) Asif Zaman has told ‘The News’ that the PHF’s office-bearers have been de-notified for failing to hold elections in time.

The letter of de-notification issued on Thursday by the PSB on the instruction of the Ministry for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) says that there had been no elections of the federation since it was last held on May 15, 2018.

‘The PHF officials have been de-notified/dismissed as they failed to hold elections in time. Their last elections were held on May 15, 2018. All leading office bearers' tenure expires the same day four years later. They should have held the election well within time which was not done accordingly,’ Col Asif said.

The elections that were held in 2018 saw Brig (r) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar assuming the office for the second consecutive term as the president. Shahbaz Ahmed was also elected as secretary PHF for the second time as while Mohammad Ikhlaq was elected as the treasure.

Asif Bajwa then replaced Shahbaz as the secretary for in 2019. ‘Bajwa’s tenure as secretary PHF has also expired along with other office bearers,’ the PSB letter says.

‘Since the PHF officials’ tenure has expired on May 14, 2022 and no election notices were issued despite the lapse of one month, it is a violation of sports policy 2005. Considering all these facts, the PSB notified all PHF officials with immediate effect,’ the letter says.

The decision of de-notification means that the government now does not recognise any PHF official till the time new elections are conducted and new officials assume charge of the office.

Brig (r) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar has already served the office as president PHF for two tenures, meaning he cannot contest the elections for a third term in office.

Unlike other smaller federations, the PHF is totally dependent on the government and cannot even have the capacity to send teams abroad and initiate developing programmes without the active support of the federal and provincial government.

When Brig (r) Khokhar was approached he said he had referred the matter to legal advisor.

‘We are considering different options and are in the process of consulting our legal advisor.’