PESHAWAR, Dec 16: Senior vice-president of NWFP Hockey Association Syed Zahir Shah on Friday said only 13 districts in the province have the right to cast their votes to form provincial hockey body.

The official said the districts having less than two clubs would not cast the votes in elections for provincial association. While the districts having five or more clubs would contest for provincial and national level offices, Zahir said during a press conference.

Citing certain rules, he said all clubs that had been scrutinised during 2001, were still eligible for voting and contesting elections at provincial and national levels. He said new clubs would be scrutinised and only those providing evidences of being active would be registered for one year.

After the completion of one year these clubs would qualify for voting and in case their districts have more than five clubs, their nominees could contest elections.

He said scrutiny should be conducted on annual basis and all the scrutiny committee members should be impartial, having basic knowledge of the game.

PHF president Tariq Kirmani has nominated Director FIA NWFP Malik Naveed as Chief Coordinator for NWFP.

Interestingly, he has nominated chairmen and members of the Committee who all are serving in FIA as his subordinates, while internationals Rahim Khan and Mussadaq Hussain have been made ordinary members.

Asked to clarify the status of hockey clubs in NWFP, he said according to previous scrutiny conducted in 2001, Abbottabad has 19 clubs, Haripur seven, Swat 11, Dir five, Buner five, Mardan 18, Swabi two, Peshawar 13, D.I. Khan 3, Bannu 17, Kohat six, Nowshera nine, Charsadda three, Malakand four and Mansehra has one club.