KARACHI: The Sindh Sports Minister Sardar Mohammad Bux Khan Mahar was formally elected as president of the Sindh Olympic Association (SOA) for the remaining term in the general body meeting that took place at the Karachi Gymkhana on Wednesday. The term expires in January 2020.

The place had fallen vacant due to the demise of its president, retired Brig Rashid Ali Malik on Oct 1 last year.

Mahar became the youngest ever person to head the SOA in its 70-year-old history and the second to hold dual positions of Sindh Sports Minister as well as SOA president. Earlier, Dr Mohammad Ali Shah held dual positions.

It is pertinent to mention that the SOA was founded on the eve of the inaugural National Games held in the city in 1948 and graced by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah himself.

The body remained dormant for a long time but became active when the National Games returned to Karachi in 1970.

The minister, who came straight from his constituency Ghotki to Karachi Gymkhana, chaired the meeting for 45-minutes. He was flanked by the POA secretary Khalid Mahmood, acting SOA chief Haji Muzaffar Ali Shujra and the SOA secretary Ahmed Ali.

In his opening remarks, the 31-year-old minister thanked the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) as well as the SOA and its affiliated associations for reposing confidence in him by ‘unanimously’ electing for the top slot.

“Though I am looking after the portfolio of sports minister for quite sometime, it will be a new experience for me and will try to run it in transparent way and smoothly,” he maintained.

The minister, who has a passion for sports, vowed to work together with the POA for improving sports in the province and the country.

“It’s my endeavour to resolve all pending issues including fraudulently withdrawal of over Rs10 m from the SOA bank account by the then rival faction in the past,” he said while answering a question.

He also announced Rs 1.0m for the SOA amidst applause. “It’s just a beginning,” he remarked.

The POA secretary congratulated Mahar on becoming the SOA chief and hoped the body will grow under his dynamic leadership.

When his attention was drawn that the Lahore-based Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBF) has abruptly suspended Sindh Basketball Association (SBA) for no rhymes or reason he asked the aggrieved party to consult the federation and inquire the reason.

Yet to another query, he said when the situation had worsened due to creation of government-backed parallel POA in the past, it was the IOC Charter that prevailed and gave a clean chit to the incumbents.

He negated the impression that the POA was promoting parallel sports bodies.

The SOA secretary briefed the minister about participation of Sindh in the Inter-provincial Games at Peshawar followed by hosting of the Sindh Games in Karachi later this month.

He informed the newly elected president about the 33rd National Games planned at Quetta.

He also informed him that the POA had allotted the inaugural Natinal Beach Games to SOA which unfortunately coukl not take place so far.

At the outset, the meeting offered fateha for the soul of its former president Rashid Malik.

Earlier, the executive committee meeting gave its formal approval for the appointment of Mahar as SOA chief which was endorsed by the general body.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2018