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| August 23, 2005 | Tuesday | Rajab 17, 1426 |
Akhtar’s ouster demanded, PCB chief asked to appear on Sept 1
ISLAMABAD, Aug 22: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) was told by a senator on Monday to remove its controversial chief selector Akhtar Rasul but the game’s boss Tariq Kirmani made no promises he would act.
The demand was made by Senator Muhammad Enver Baig during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Sports held at the Parliament House which discussed hockey matters threadbare including the visa scam that surfaced earlier this year.
It was pointed out that Akhtar had been convicted in storming of the Supreme Court which barred him from holding a public office.
Enver drew the attention of the PHF chief, who was flanked by secretary Brig (Retd) Musarratullah Khan, as to what impact a convict’s presence at a hockey ground would have on young minds.
“The chief selector has no legal right to be in office and it is time for the PHF to take action,” demanded the senator who also read out clauses in the NAB ordinance 1999 and the federation’s own constitution that do not allow such an appointment.
Tariq, who took over PHF some six months ago, responded by saying that the chief selector’s post was not a public office and that Akhtar had not been appointed under any political pressure.
“He draws no salary and it is only for his hockey expertise that he is with us.”
At the start of the meeting, chaired by Senator Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry, the subject of issuing recommendation letters to embassies by PHF for obtaining visas for several people was discussed.
Senator Dr. Kausar Firdous mentioned names of at least six people who had gone abroad on PHF’s recommendations but had not returned.
Appearing before the committee for the first time, Tariq remarked that PHF was “not involved in all this and to construe it as intentional is not right.”
The sacking of PHF’s Director Administration, Capt. Mukhtar Ali said to be the key player in the scam, was a decision of the PHF management. “The disciplinary committee that probed the matter is not required to recommend that a person be sacked.”
Tariq said that Ali was given the sack after he admitted having issued letters while Musarrat chipped in to say that the inquiry committee also recorded his statement on the subject.
The PHF chief assured the house that a new system had now been put in place whereby only the secretary would be authorised to issue any visa related letters in future.
“If he is travelling I will sign the letters myself,” he made it clear.
The purchase of tickets for air travel was now being done through a transparent and competitive bidding process, Tariq said responding to accusations that PHF was doing business with a Peshawar-based travel agency which was non-IATA.
The performance of the national team that ended a long title drought on Sunday by laying their hands on the eight-nation Rabobank Trophy, was another important item on the agenda.
The senators, who had sought yearly postmortem reports of several debacles that the team has had to face for the past five years, were told by the PHF that no such thing was available.
“We do analyse our weaknesses after every outing of the national side in light of the team management’s report which are then brought before Council,” Tariq said.
He told the committee members that next month’s Super League in Karachi will be a shot in the arm for the game while revival of hockey in schools, colleges and universities will also change the shape of things.
“Several companies will be sponsoring the Super League which will be telecast live by Pakistan Television and Dubai-based TenSports,” he said.
“It will feature several Indian players and their presence will add spice to what will be a high-profile event.”
Meanwhile, the committee decided to discuss cricket on Sept 1 after chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Shaharyar M. Khan intimated that he would be unable to attend Monday’s meeting.
The senators want the chairman to explain why Karachi was not allotted an England Test on their tour starting in October.
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