KARACHI: Representatives of legitimate hockey associations from Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan have vowed to resist mala fide intentions of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to bring their blue-eyed people in through bogus elections.

“It’s just a beginning and we’ll knock at every door from Karachi to Peshawar to seek justice,” they told a hurriedly called press conference at the Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) Sports Complex in Gulshan Iqbal on Thursday.

Former Olympian and the 1994 Sydney World Cup gold medallist Danish Kaleem and secretary of Balochistan Hockey Asso­ciation Abdul Raheem Durrani specially arrived from Sahiwal and Quetta to join the disgruntled KHA office-bearers at one platform and expose the unfair modus operandi of the PHF’s inter-club scrutiny, districts and provincial elections across the country.

The former Pakistan fullback provided copies of signed statements of the District Sports Officer Sahiwal dated May 7, 2018 addressed to the PHF secretary that the elections of disrict hockey association there was conducted without any intimation to him. No representative from District Sports Office Sahiwal attended the election proceedings.

The letter further said: “It may be mentioned here that as per notification No SRO1249 (1)/ 2005 dated 5.12. 2005 issued by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs vide clause C (2)-C that elections will be held under the supervision of District Sports Officer concerned.”

He alleged that names of the clubs and office-bearers are being changed overnight in drawing rooms.

Danish Kaleem alleged that the Punjab Hockey Association President Col Asif is the brother of the PHF President while few other relatives were also involved. “It is the Family Hockey Federation and not the PHF,” he remarked.

Lauding the efforts of the KHA for turning the premises into a proper facility during the last two years, the former Olympian said instead of appreciating their efforts the PHF is pushing them towards the wall which will be sheer injustice.

Durrani also disclosed that bogus elections took place in Balochistan.

At the outset, KHA chairman Gulfraz Khan said the PHF President, retired Brig Khokhar had termed the KHA Sports Complex a role model after visiting the facility sometimes back. “It remained a dirty place for long and nobody liked to come under the previous set up,” he added.

He said when the national game has come on the right track in Karachi, the sudden change of stance of the PHF hierarchy shows foul-play. He said there was abundance of talent in the country but alleged that the game has suffered due to vested interest in the last two decades.

The KHA secretary Haider Hussain also spoke on the occasion besides Dr Majid.

The representatives appealed to the PHF patron-in-chief, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Honorable Mian Saqib Nisar to intervene in the matter and save hockey from further damage.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2018