LAHORE, July 17 All the four provincial Olympic associations affiliated with the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has expressed no confidence on the office-bearers of the Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBF) and urged the POA to play its constitutional role to bring in true lovers of the game.

Dawn obtained letters of all the four provincial associations, according to which Ahmad Ali Rajput, Sindh Olympic Association's secretary said in a letter to POA president Arif Hasan “The standard of the basketball in Pakistan is declining day by day due to non participation of the genuine provincial bodies of the game in the activities of the PBF.

“The elected basketball association of the province is not allowed to participate in any championship organised by the Pakistan Basketball Federation which is illegal and unwarranted. The elections of the PBF are due in October 2010 and the Sindh Olympic Association should be allowed to participate in it.”

Similarly, the Punjab Olympic Association secretary Idris Haider Khawaja also wrote a letter to the POA president saying “The Punjab Basketball Association, headed by Khalid Bashir as president, is the genuine body duly affiliated with the Punjab Olympic Association and its sports activities are almost to a standstill.

“In the larger interest of the game, we request that if there is any dispute of basketball, the same may kindly be settled down at your level and the game of basketball may be saved from ruination.”

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Olympic Association's secretary general Zulifqar Ali Butt in his letter to the POA president wrote “It is to inform you that the standard of basketball is going down day by day due to the Pakistan Basketball Federation. They have neither organised any competition in proper manner nor any technical coaching course.

“We have requested you to resolve the matter of the PBF with the provincial basketball associations but no action has been taken so far.”

Balochistan Olympic Association secretary Mohammad Afzal Awan also wrote a similar letter to the POA president.

Though the performance of the game is on the decline, the sitting officials of the national basketball federation have full backing of the POA.

The provincial bodies which are affiliated with the PBF are not being recognised by the Provincial Olympic Association which is the violation of the POA's constitution which says that at least three provincial associations and as many departments must be affiliated with any national federation seeking the POA's affiliation.