KARACHI, March 16: A suspended official of Punjab Hockey Association (PHA) has threatened Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) with legal action, saying he will be forced to move court if justice is not provided.In a letter to the president of the PHF, Tariq Kirmani, the suspended secretary of the PHA, Saleem Nazim, said that he had been suspended from the post unconstitutionally and he should be given a patient hearing by the PHF chief. “I had requested you to give me some time for hearing after which I would have accepted your decision. I again appeal you to give me a patient hearing or I will have no option except to move court to get justice,” he wrote to Mr Kirmani.

The suspended official alleged that secretary of the PHF, Brig Musarrat Ullah Khan, hatched a conspiracy against him in connivance with chief selector Akhtar Rasool to remove him from the PHA post.

He claimed that he was suspended days before Athens Games in August last year in a group meeting not PHA executive committee meeting which had no legal effect.

Saleem also alleged that Musarrat had constituted a fact-finding committee to tackle the similar situation in NWFP, but became a party when he faced same circumstances in Punjab.

The official claimed he was removed by the PHF secretary through arbitrary decision and unconstitutionally as associate secretary of the PHF without taking Council and house into confidence, although he was an elected official of the federation.

Saleem said that now a person facing a court case, had been installed secretary of the PHA. “To verify my point, president can ask members of the executive committee and council of the PHA that it was a bogus meeting not an official one.”

He alleged that those who had hatched conspiracies against him to please PHF secretary had been rewarded by appointing coaches of the senior team after being elevated from the junior side.

Charging the PHF secretary with nepotism and favouritism, he said he was further victimised when he was removed from the selection committee at the behest of Akhtar.

Saleem said according to PHF constitution’s article 27 (a), he had constitutional right to appeal against the decision and had pleaded the PHF chief four times for hearing but was yet to get justice.

He urged the PHF president to form an inquiry committee to probe into accounts of the federation.