LAHORE: While Pakistan Olympic Association’s executive committee in an emergent meeting late on Sunday elected Mohammad Abid Qadri Gillani as its new president, the Audit General of Pakistan (AGP) said that its team is coming to the POA offices in Lahore on Jan 5 to start the audit of the national Olympic body.

Abid, who is currently the chairman of the Pakistan Handball Federation, was elected as POA chief after retired Lt Gen Syed Arif Hasan quit the post recently.

Though the news about the resignation of Gen Arif, who had held the post for 19 long years, surfaced on Saturday, he had already stepped down on Dec 28.

Gen Arif tendered the resignation around ten months before the expiry of his fourth consecutive term, which was due to end in February 2024, but had been extended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) till October on a special request of the POA.

Talking to Dawn, Abid said that Gen Arif after his resignation was no more the president from Jan 1, 2024. Therefore, an emergent meeting of the POA executive committee was summoned on Sunday to elect the new president.

On whether the AGP team was coming to the POA to start the audit from Jan 5, Abid said, “If they wish to come and see the accounts, they may come.”

When asked if the government had issued any grant to the POA, Abid said the national Olympic body did not take any grant from the government, adding “but still if the government wants the audit [of POA] they are welcome”.

The POA issued in a press release on the election of Abid as new chief of the national Olympic body.

“As stipulated in the POA constitution, the vacancy of President POA was filled by the Executive Committee by electing Syed Mohammad Abid Qadri Gillani for the interim period [starting] from Jan 1, 2024 till the forthcoming Elective General Council Meeting of the POA scheduled in the last quarter of 2024.

Out of 25 members present in the meeting [14 in person and 11 online], 23 casted their votes in favour of Syed Mohammad Abid Qadri Gillani.

“The Executive Committee held on Dec 31, 2023 was presided by Syed Aqil Shah, Senior Vice-President POA. The resignation of retired Lt Gen Syed Arif Hasan, President POA, received his letter dated Dec 28, 2023 was considered and deliberated by the Committee.

The resignation was accepted by 23 votes out of 25 members present w.e.f Jan 1, 2024 and referred to the General Council for its ratification as laid down in the POA constitution,“ added the release.

Meanwhile, sources said the resignation of Gen Arif and the start of the audit by the AGP may have some link as it seems that the POA and the government still remain embroiled in a tussle, which started back in 2012 on the occasion of the POA elections.

While the tug of war ruined the country’s sports over the past 10 years or so, Pakistan Sports Board’s unending confrontation with the POA and various national sports federations over the implementation of some clauses of the national sports policy has in one way or the other continued to date.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2024