ISLAMABAD: A number of Olympians, headed by former Pakistan Hockey Federation president Akhtar Rasool and current congress members, gathered in Islamabad on Thursday and lamented the declining standards of national game in the country.

Sources told Dawn that a strategy to move a no-confidence motion against the PHF officials, with more than 50 of the 92 congress members present, was devised. Those who met had said that there will be an official statement but there was none till the filing of this report.

PHF legal advisor Mian Ali Ashfaq had earlier released a video statement stating that without the approval of PHF secretary, no one could call meeting of congress adding that if any step is taken contrary to Constitution of PHF, FIRs will be lodged against those responsible.

One former Olympian, speaking to Dawn on the condition of anonymity, that it was decided that during the upcoming congress meeting, a no-confidence motion will be passed against PHF secretary Haider Hussain and efforts will be made to remove PHF president retired Brig Khalid Sajjad Khokhar.

The PHF chief, meanwhile, expressed no concerns over the “private meeting”.

“The PHF had nothing to do with it,” Khokhar told Dawn. “We have decided to hold our congress in Islamabad on Sept 8. If there is a no-confidence motion passed against me or the secretary, we will defend it.”

Sources said the meeting was attended by former PHF secretaries Asif Bajwa and Shehbaz Ahm­ed Senior, Rana Mujahid and Khawaja Junaid among others.

The PHF is under fire from the government with the Pakistan Sports Board having suspended all office-bearers of the country’s hockey governing body on August 16 to ensure fair and transparent elections.

The PHF, meanwhile, claims that the PSB cannot intervene in its matters as it is an autonomous body affiliated with the Intern­ational Hockey Feder­ation (FIH) and the Pakistan Olympic Association.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2023