UNFORTUNATELY, the working relationship between the Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) and the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has again turned sour following the latter’s alleged involvement in the former’s affairs.

PHF president retired Brig Khalid Sajjad Khokhar and secretary Shahbaz Ahmed visited the KHA Sports Complex in Gulshan-e-Iqbal on Feb 2 to personally inspect the facilities and inaugurated the office block.

The visit came in the aftermath of a gulf that emerged between the two after the KHA was not taken on board by the PHF while hosting international events in the city during the last couple of months or so.

Of late, the PHF hierarchy had again turned his back by constituting a committee to conduct the inter-club scrutiny and election in Sindh (including Karachi) besides other parts of the country.

Private television channels have reported alleged unfair polls in rural Sindh at the behest of the committee and on the instruction of the PHF secretary to make room for his blue-eyed people.

As far as Karachi is concerned, the KHA constitution doesn’t allow the PHF or any other body to interfere in its affairs. The KHA is registered under the Companies Act 1913 having its own memorandum and article of association.

The KHA has served two legal notices on the PHF urging them to refrain from unnecessary interference in the working, composition and affairs of the KHA, particularly the matter of inter-club championship, scrutiny and elections.

In the notice, the KHA has demanded of the PHF to withdraw their letters of April 6 and 10 within three days of the notice otherwise it will proceed by filing a suit against them and the Sindh Hockey Association (SHA) restraining them from creating parallel management through registration of bogus clubs.

Dawn has in its possession a number of letters from bona fide officials across the country who have approached court of law against PHF’s illegal modus operandi.

Experts say that the PHF should set its own house in order instead of interfering in the affairs of associations. The term of the incumbent PHF regime had already expired last year.

They alleged that the former Olympians, who have opposed the elections of retired Brig Khokhar and Shahbaz, were silenced and have stopped criticism even on senior and under-18 team’s below-par performance in international competitions.

“PHF’s interference in the affairs of the KHA and other associations across the country started back in 2002 that created grouping and has ruined the game,” claims KHA chairman Gulfraz Khan.

The KHA has vowed not to bow down and thwart all mala fide intentions of the PHF to damage the game in the metropolis that has come back on the right track in the last two years.

“Shahbaz, who had revolted against the then PHF on the eve of 1996 Atlanta Olympics, is misleading the PHF president,” allege the experts.

The KHA claims that it has a majority of 12 clubs having voting right out of a total 21 which are as follows:

Faisal Hockey Club, Hanif Khan Hockey Club, United Gymkhana, Al Sagheer Hockey Club ‘Whites’ and ‘Colours’, Federal Hockey Club, Baldia Town Hockey Club, SRC Hockey Club, Karachi Tigers hockey Club, Beecham hockey Club, Police Boys Hockey Club and Cantt Combined Hockey Club.

One hopes better sense will prevail as the national game during the last quarter-of-a-century has already suffered massively due to alleged huge misappropriation of funds, mismanagement, favouritism and lack of vision.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2018