September 06, 2008	Saturday	Ramazan 05, 1429

LAHORE, Sept 5: Senior vice president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation Khalid Mahmood on Friday resigned from his post, saying that his term was only till the Olympics, as per the instructions of PHF President Zafarullah Jamali.

PHF Secretary Asif Bajwa confirmed the resignations of chief selector Islah and Khalid while talking to Dawn on Friday. “Islah talked to me on the telephone informing me about his resignation and Khalid will send in his on Saturday. But I have no knowledge whether President Jamali asked the chief selector to resign,” said Asif.

There are rumours that the PHF president had asked Islah, Khalid and the two-member selection committee to resign from their posts in order to prove that he had launched an operation against those who fared poorly in the build-up to the Beijing Olympics which were a disaster for the Pakistan team.

It is surprising, though, that Jamali is himself not ready to own-up to his share of follies which contributed largely to the poor performance at the Games.

It was Jamali who had exercised his complete authority as PHF chief last June when he braved the federal government’s wrath to contest the removal of Khalid Mahmood as the federation’s secretary. He openly challenged the induction of Asif Bajwa as the new secretary PHF but later accepted his appointment while elevating Khalid as the senior vice president.

Hockey circles expected Jamali to quit his post following Pakistan hockey team’s disastrous campaign at Beijing after chief coach Khawaja Zakauddin and coach Naveed Alam quit their posts early this week. That, however, did not happen.

Surprisingly, Islah just a couple of days back had said he would not resign from the post but when Jamali ordered him to do the same, he took no time in sending his resignation.

The sources also said on Friday that Marketing Director Pervez Bhindara and Media Director Altaf Sabir had resigned too on the orders of PHF chief.

Moreover, the PHF secretary said the new selection committee would be announced, soon.