KARACHI, Dec 19: Several officials of the Sindh Football Association (SFA) are dismayed over the appointment of Qamar Yar as secretary-general of the association.
The decision was taken by Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat and Secretary-General Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi on Thursday after receiving nominations from the SFA earlier in the week.
Nasir Karim Baloch, a member of the SFA executive committee, said that he was shocked at finding out that the SFA President Ghulam Abbas nominated as many as five individuals for the post without even considering to discuss the matter with the executive committee.
“I only found out about the nominations and the appointment through your paper. We were not taken into confidence by Ghulam Abbas at any point,” he said while registering his grievance to Dawn on Friday.
“We are filing a requisition to the body for inquiry into the matter,” added Nasir, who is also chairman of the Zonal Football Association, District South, Karachi.
“We have heard that the man already holds two jobs, one at the Karachi University and another at Jamia Millia. He doesn’t even fit the criteria given to the SFA by the PFF. We do not accept Qamar Yar as the SFA secretary. This was not our decision,” he fumed.
Sadia Sheikh, secretary-general of the Sindh Women’s Football Association, is another member taken aback by the SFA president’s go-ahead with the nominations without their consent.
“As a protest, I am not even going to attend the PFF Congress tomorrow, where the names of provincial secretaries will formally be announced,” said Sadia.
“Apart from the violation of not having consulted the executive committee, I am also saddened at how the people of Lyari, the pioneers of football in Pakistan, are being sidelined by not being considered for the position.”
When Dawn contacted Ghulam Abbas for his reaction, the SFA chief said: “I made the nominations after consulting some members of the executive committee.”
When reminded that he was supposed to consult all the members during a meeting and if it was right to keep the matter from most of them, Abbas said: “I consulted those whom I thought important enough.”
When asked who those members were, he said: “I am not feeling well right now.”
When requested to say something in his defense as his action of not discussing the matter openly has infuriated several people within the
SFA, he retorted: “Write whatever you want to write yourself. You should know that I am unwell.”