PSB suspends PHF officials to ensure fair elections

• PSB has suspended the office-bearers of the PHF.
• The suspension comes after the Prime Minister’s office instructions.
• The PSB will conduct a scrutiny of the hockey clubs.

In a significant development, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has taken the decision to suspend officials from the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), aiming to ensure transparent and unbiased elections as per the directives of the Prime Minister.

This suspension is a response to the need for a fair election process, which follows a comprehensive evaluation of clubs nationwide.

Recently, the Prime Minister’s office issued a notification instructing the Ministry for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) to refer the PHF to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), while also directing the PSB to organize elections for the federation in alignment with the Prime Minister’s instructions.

Reportedly, the PSB conducted consecutive meetings on Tuesday with certain existing PHF officials, offering various options to ensure impartial elections. Despite granting a 24-hour deadline, no significant progress was observed. Consequently, the PSB opted to suspend the office-bearers of the hockey federation, aiming to facilitate an equitable scrutiny process.

A formal letter from the PSB was released on Wednesday, outlining the subject as ‘The affairs of Pakistan Hockey Federation’.

“The Prime Minister’s office has conveyed that scrutiny of the hockey clubs and Electoral College may be conducted at the earliest under the supervision of Pakistan Sports Board. It has further been conveyed that fair and free elections of the PHF may be conducted under the supervision of Pakistan Sports Board as per rules and after observation of all the codal and procedural formalities,” the letter (notification) addressed to the suspended office-bearers of the PHF and the copy of which was also sent to team management and selection committee said.

“To ensure fair and transparent elections of the PHF, the current office-bearers (management) of the PHF are hereby suspended.

“However, during the transition period, the Selection Committee and the management of Pakistan hockey team shall continue to perform their functions, ensuring the preparation and participation of the hockey team in national and international events is not disrupted.

“These measures aim to facilitate a conducive environment for conduct of free and fair elections. This is issued with the approval of Director General PSB.”

“As the 19th Asian Games are just around the corner, team management and selection committee would continue working till the time new office-bearers of the federation take over their responsibilities. All the PHF office-bearers however are suspended with immediate effect,” the official said.

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