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KARACHI Sindh Hockey Association (SHA) has removed its president after a vote of no confidence for 'neglecting and not taking care of the financial aspects of the association.'
SHA secretary Rao Saleem said Gulfaraz Ahmad Khan had been removed since he had failed in fulfilling his promise of bringing sponsors and money into the SHA kitty.
'Basically, he (Gulfaraz) failed to take care of the association's financial needs. He had promised that he would bring money for the SHA, but he failed. Besides, he was not giving due attention to Sindh hockey matters,' Saleem told Dawn.com on Monday.
The secretary alleged that deposed president had also vowed to bring sponsors for Inter-district hockey championship in Mirpurkhas last year, but again failed to arrange the required funds.
Gulfaraz, also the treasurer of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), belongs to National Bank (NBP). Interestingly, his bank recently sponsored National Challenge Cup football tournament in Hyderabad.
'Not only Sindh team and the provincial hockey were being affected by his (Gulfaraz's) neglect, but Karachi has also started losing its base of players, although the city had produced fine players in the past for the Sindh team. We will now also focus on Karachi to ensure that players keep coming up from that city,' said the secretary.
According to Saleem, there were total of 17 votes out of which 16 came to the meeting in Larkana on Sunday. Of 16 only one, Jawaid Iqbal from Karachi, was against the no confidence move, while 15 were in favour including Majid Khan and Qadeer Ahmad who are also from Karachi. The fourth voter from Karachi, Azeem Khan, didn't attend the meeting.
'Jawaid, who was advocating for Gulfaraz, was silenced when he was told he can't debate in favour or against the president and all he can do was to vote in favour or against the move,' Saleem said.
Apart from Karachi, voters who attended the meeting were from Hyderabad , Thatta, Mirpurkhs, Sukkur, Ghotki, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Larkana, Dadu, Sanghar, Nawabshah, and Khairpur.
Saleem said Gulfaraz didn't attend the meeting, although he was informed through courier adding, that the senior vice-president Abdullah Talat would be the acting president till the election of new president.
Gulfaraz refused to comment on his unceremonious exit, saying he would comment later after a while.
'I will first read the minutes and see what charges have been levelled against and only then I will comment,' the removed official said.
Sources said after being shown the door, Gulfaraz is also likely to be removed as PHF treasurer.
While national-level hockey is a victim of dirty politics and intrigue, Sindh and Karachi have also seen a lot of turmoil during the past few years because of controversies and power struggle.
