KARACHI, March 11: Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) elections took another twist on Saturday when Aijazud-Din, who claims himself KHA secretary, alleged Sindh Sports Minister Qamar Mansoor has become a party in the affairs.

“Of course I believe that sports minister is helping out Gulfaraz group in taking the helm of KHA affairs. He is trying to manipulate things in favour of our rival group,” Aijaz said ahead of Sunday’s KHA elections being held for the third time.

Aijaz reacted against Qamar when asked if he thought he had already won the elections and was the genuine KHA secretary, why he didn’t raise objections on Jan 24 when sports minister proposed him and Gulfaraz to hold the secretary’s office for two years each to complete the four-year term.

“I admit that I had won the election then but had no choice as it was the directives from the sports minister who is the coordinator for elections in Sindh,” he said but had no answer when asked why he didn’t boycott the proceedings.

While Aijaz said he had already submitted a 17-member “cabinet” approved by general body to the concerned authorities, director of Sindh Sports Board Ghulam Akbar Shah says Sunday’s elections will be held as scheduled.

“Iftikhar Syed is the PHF director administration and has no authority to issue press release stating that elections and scrutiny of clubs have been put on hold. It indicates his ignorance as the elections and scrutiny process has already been completed throughout Sindh except Karachi.

“How scrutiny and elections can be put on hold when the process has already been completed and Iftikhar Syed being the secretary of scrutiny committee has submitted the details to PHF,” Akbar said in a statement.

Akbar termed directives from Iftikhar as absurd, saying “it is astonishing why he took a month to point out complaints of irregularities in elections and scrutiny of clubs.”

On the other hand, Aijaz said Akbar’s statement was “misleading and surprising, for he had already won with a clear majority on Jan 24.

Iftikhar had issued a press release on Saturday on behalf of PHF saying elections and scrutiny process has been put on hold after complaints from various quarters, although Qamar had announced KHA elections would be held for the third time on Sunday under the supervision of SSB director.

The elections were postponed on Jan 6 after Gulfaraz levelled attempted rigging allegations against Iftikhar and director domestic hockey Mohammad Shafique.

On Jan 24, after Aijaz won by five votes, Qamar proposed Gulfaraz and Aijaz to be secretary for two years each after former was reluctant to accept results. Both groups initially accepted the proposal but later Qamar called for elections for the third time following disputes between the two groups.