October 07, 2006	Saturday	Ramazan 13, 1427

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KARACHI, Oct 6: Better late than never. After setting the house of Pakistan Table Tennis Federation (PTTF) in order in last September, the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has resolved the issue of Pakistan Amateur Basketball Federation (PABF) by conducting elections on the instructions of Supreme Court at Lahore the other day. It certainly augurs well for the uplift of game in the years to come.

The game went to the dogs during the last six years after ad hoc was imposed on the PABF by the Islamabad-based Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) as two warring factions failed to come to terms.

Once considered a force to be reckoned with in Asia three decades back, Pakistan suffered massive defeats and slipped to lowest ebb in the first Islamic Games held at Saudi Arabia last year.

The sojourn was first in six years where Pakistan lost to Tunisia 39-123, Algeria 44-132, Libya 45-93, before beating Tajikistan 73-51 in the last group match. In the classification matches, they again went down to Kuwait 66-96, Kyrgyztan 58-66 before bouncing back to beat Palestine 71-66 in the 12-16 position match.

Pakistan’s best ever performance came at the 1975 Kings Cup when it finished fifth. In the following year, the green-shirts were placed sixth in the Asian Basketball Championship (ABC). Participation in ABC, Asian Games was a regular feature up to 1990.

An array of internationals including Brig (retd) Rasheed Malik, Majid Pervez, Mohammad Azam, Agha Arshad, Shahid Saadi, Jamshed, Ghulam Farid and S. M. Tanveer were among the pillars of the game.

Air Cdre (retd) M. Afzal Khan took over the reigns of PABF after his predecessor Mian Iqbal Farid stepped down at the end of his term. Khalid Bashir was elected secretary. They continued until the ad hoc was imposed in May 2000.

It all started when Khalid Bashir and Rasheed Malik developed serious differences and formed two parallel groups. Both the factions secured equal votes in the elections conducted by the PSB. Efforts were made for a compromise but in vain.

A three-member ad hoc committee headed by Gen (retd) Sarfraz Iqbal was formed. Other two members were Brig. (retd) Khaliq (secretary) and Brig.(retd) Daniel Austin (member). After sometime, Col Nasim Butt replaced Khaliq as secretary. He conducted scrutiny according to sports policy.

Khalid Bashir filed a suit in the Punjab High Court challenging imposition of ad hoc committee. Upon its rejection, he moved to the Supreme Court who in its decision with the concern of all parties asked POA to conduct elections as per recommendations of the ad hoc committee.

According to details, 13 votes were polled out of 19. These includes army (2) being national champion, Punjab (2), Islamabad (2), Balochistan, Fata, PAF, Navy, Railways, Police and HEC one each. The six which remained absent were Sindh (2), NWFP (2), Balochistan and Fata one apiece.

Meanwhile, Karachi City District Amateur Basketball Association (KCDABBA) was awaiting decision of the Sindh High Court on the plea to allow it five votes instead of one and declare the Sindh association’s elections “null and void.”

Those who have been made respondent in the case are Sindh Amateur Basketball Association, formerly PABF ad hoc committee, sports ministry and the PSB.

The KCDABBA contention was that the sprawling 15 million populated city comprised five districts and each should be treated at par with other districts of Sindh.

Karachi has served as one of the biggest nursery of the game and needs a fair treatment for the revival of popular sport.