LAHORE, Nov 17: President Punjab Hockey Association (PHA) Khawaja Zarar Kaleem has said that a 10-year ban imposed on former PHA secretary Saleem Nazim was constitutional.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, the president PHA said that the PHA constitution’s clause 36 which is also endorsed by the PHF’s clause 27, bars any person from going to court of law before appealing to the concerned quarters.

Later, the PHA imposed ban on Saleem for not giving details of the accounts, of his tenure, involving an amount of Rs 22 lakh.

“Saleem has been reminded for several times to submit the accounts but instead he moved the court without following the constitution,” he said.

Asked to comment on the fate of the Lahore District Hockey Association (LDHA) which has been split into two groups, Zarar stated that the PHA had referred the case to the PHF.

He said that the PHF, which formed a body to probe and to recommend the genuine body of the LDHA, had sent its recommendations to the federation and now it was up to the PHF to announce a decision.

Elaborating on the future activity programme, he said that the PHA had invited its Indian Punjab hockey officials to play a five match series.

The dates and venues would be announced once, the Indian Punjab authorities confirmed the invitation.

The PHA is also trying to organize a national level Punjab Cup in next year.