KARACHI, Jan 26: Hockey politics in Sindh took another ugly turn on Friday when Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) ‘approved’ a list of Sindh Hockey Association (SHA) officials amid threats to move court against PHF by another group from interior of Sindh.

PHF secretary Akhtarul Islam created another mess by announcing a list of SHA office-bearers following a meeting of district hockey associations under the chairmanship of Sindh Sports Minister Qamar Mansoor.

Without using word elected, a PHF press release said the ‘house’ unanimously decided to have the SHA office-bearers with Qamar as the new president of the association.

“Zafarullah Jamali, the PHF president, had shown his concern and instructed secretary PHF Akhtarul Islam to resolve the dispute of SHA. The same list of office-bearers and members of executive committee was presented to secretary PHF for approval.

“Keeping in view of the unanimous decision of the house, PHF approved the names of office-bearers and member of the executive committee of SHA,” PHF news release signed by Akhtar said.

The group led by Ramzan Jamali, which formed another SHA last Sunday, strongly challenged the move, saying Akhtar had been what he called ‘hijacked’ by Sindh sports minister as PHF had no authority over the situation.

“I have no reservations in saying that PHF secretary has been hijacked by Qamar Mansoor. We do not and cannot accept any association under Qamar. How a SHA can be formed under the chairmanship of provincial sports minister. That is totally unacceptable. If PHF doesn't mend its ways, we will definitely move court for justice,” Razman told Dawn from Larkana.

Ramzan as a secretary-general had formed his version of SHA in Larkana, saying his group had no option since PHF was reluctant to resolve the issue in Sindh.

Interestingly, another group with Rao Saleem as secretary ‘elected’ Qamar as its new president in Nawabshah the same day to fill the post lying vacant since last year after Zafar Iqbal's resignation.

Saleem had claimed that his association had legal status since it was not notified of being an illegal body by PHF, while Jamali claimed the SHA formed last year under Saleem had no legal effect since its election were held under a provincial minister.

Although according to Ramzan, Akhtar was contact by him several times, PHF never paid heed which led to Sindh hockey turmoil.

On the recent PHF decision, Ramzan challenged it by saying it was a blatant violation of PHF constitution which didn't allow more than two representatives from a district to have representation in provincial body.

“Now according to new list of office-bearers announced by PHF today, there are no less than six officials — Qamar, Abdul Azeem Khan, Jawaid Iqbal, Qadeer Ahmad, Riazuddin, and S.A. Majid — from Karachi. It is totally unconstitutional,” he claimed.

Ramzan claimed he approached PHF secretary on Friday morning only to hear that he would contact him in the evening.

“If PHF wants to resolve the dispute, it should have contacted both the parties. But instead, it only asked to hold one group and announced the officials.”

Ramzan said the March 25, 2006 notification by PHF was enough evidence to show that the Saleem group was illegal.

“It is ironic that Sindh Sports Board and in particular director of sports has announced the election of Sindh Hockey Association on March 27, 2006. PHF constitution doesn't admit any interference from provincial sports board as being national sports federation. PHF is autonomous body.

“Any call from any other quarter regarding holding of elections of SHA without prior approval of PHF is totally unauthorised, illegal and ultra vires to PHF constitution,” PHF said in March 25, 2006 press release.

“If PHF wants to resolve this issue, our doors of negotiations are still open. We are ready to have fresh club scrutiny and elections in Sindh or we have no choice to go to court,” Ramzan said.

SHA polls controversy is a legacy of former PHF secretary Brig Musarrat Ullah Khan and is being continued by his close associate Akhtar who was also involved in KHA elections fiasco.

After holding elections several times, KHA was also formed without elections and only nominated off-bearers were recently announced after a patch-up by PHF president Jamali. KHA elected office-bearers lead by secretary Gulfaraz Ahmad even took PHF to court and Akhtar was one of the respondents.

List of SHA office-bearers announced by PHF: