The LHC has issued notice in response to a petition lodged by Olympian Naveed Alam against the recently announced elections of the PHF. — File Photo

LAHORE Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has issued notice to five parties to appear before him on Nov 25 in response to a petition lodged by Olympian Naveed Alam against the recently announced elections of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF).

The PHF president Qasim Zia, had announced the elections at the district level on Thursday at a press conference.

In his petition, Naveed prayed to the court that the process adopted for the elections was unconstitutional. However, the justice did not issue the stay order against the petition but only issued a simple notice to PHF secretary Mohammad Asif Bajwa, Director General Pakistan Sports Board Rao Iftikhar, Chief Election Commissioner and Mohammad Ikhlaq (MPA) Chairman Scrutiny Committee, besides the PHF president.

Naveed took the plea that act of respondents is illegal/unlawful, and against the constitution of the PHF and based upon the malafide full with vested interest. He further said the elections were announced in haste and disregard of principles settled for any elections date for scrutiny of candidature, filing of nomination papers, filing of objection and acceptance/withdrawal of nomination have not been mentioned in schedule announced thereof such election process is illegal/unlawful and unconstitutional and ultra vires to the constitution of Pakistan.

He said some of the members of different scrutiny committees are paid employees of the PHF and are also candidates for election in different hockey associations, including secretary PHF.

Such an act of appointing contesting candidates to scrutinize papers of their rival candidates is a illegal act based on malafide and is amenable under judicial review by this honorable court under Article 199 of the constitution.

He further said that act of nepotism and favouritism is evident from the fact that one Olympian Akhtar Rasool, who was convicted by the honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan in criminal appeal no. 162 of 1999 has been included in the Executive Board of the PHF which is a clear violation of Article 12.9.2 of the PHF constitution.

The justice in his order says 'No proper schedule of elections has been issued by the respondents as it is without providing an adequate time for the filing of nomination papers, scrutiny thereof enabling the people to raise objections and conducting the elections by a valid voters list.

2. Issue pre-admission notice to the respondents for 25.11.2009.'