KARACHI, Aug 9: While the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) had apparently solved the hockey crisis in Sindh a few months ago, the game was once again in turmoil on Thursday after a group of officials charged the Sindh Hockey Association (SHA) secretary with corruption and moved a vote of no confidence notice against him.

A bunch of 11 officials, who claimed to be SHA representatives, have asked association’s president Qamar Mansoor to convene an emergency meeting and ask secretary Rao Saleem to seek vote of confidence from the house.

The secretary has been charged with misusing powers, embezzlement, issuing orders without the approval of Council, illegal appointment of an executive secretary, formation of selection committee and failure in providing audited SHA accounts of the last two years.

S.A Majid, who claims to be an SHA executive committee member, said Saleem had bungled an amount of Rs 156,000 during April’s National Games in Karachi by seeking the grant from Qamar, who was also chairman organising committee of the Games.

“He (Saleem), who was organising secretary of hockey competition of the National Games, minted money through fraudulent tactics. For example, he partly gave travel and daily allowances to the players, officials and umpires. He wrongfully showed Karachi players as belonging to Larkana to claim allowances.

“Details of corruption have already been sent to the Pakistan Sports Board. Saleem has also been involved in other violations of the SHA constitution such as appointing Hassan Askari executive secretary and formation of selection committee without seeking approval from Council,” said Majid who is spearheading the campaign.

Interestingly, among the group of 11 is also Ramzan Jamali who had been “accommodated” in the SHA after he formed a parallel association. According to PHF constitution, he should have been banned for life for taking part in any activity at any level and declared persona non grata.

Majid warned that the senior most vice-president would chair the meeting if Qamar, who is also Sindh sports minister, refused to convene the meeting within seven days according to the SHA constitution.

Saleem said the group was nothing but a band of “disgruntled elements and blackmailers”, having no power to call SHA meeting as they belonged to Karachi or other districts associations.

“When they (the group) are not even SHA members, how can they ask association’s president to call a meeting in which I have to seek vote of confidence,” Saleem claimed.

The SHA secretary agreed when reminded that in the SHA formed on Jan 26, 2007 under the supervision of the then PHF secretary Akhtarul Islam, five of the 11 officials were “selected” at a meeting held at Qamar’s office.

However, he claimed since the Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) had changed the nominations before the PHF April 2 elections, all the previous officials from Karachi were no more part of SHA.

“The KHA sent names of Gulfaraz Ahmad, Munawwar Baseer, Aijaz Ahmad and Jawaid Iqbal as their representatives before PHF elections. We had received instructions from the PHF that there will be only four representatives from Karachi for the SHA who will then represent the PHF,” he said. He, however, had no answer when asked what office the four nominated KHA officials held in the SHA.

Saleem flatly refused to comment on the corruption charges against him, saying “The SHA president will give the answer.”