KARACHI, March 31: With a number of candidates in the run, the rudder-less Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) elects its new office-bearers here on Monday amid brimming activity at the Hockey Club of Pakistan (HCP).

While several candidates are active in drumming up support to become the new secretary, it is being generally believed that current PHF chief Zafarullah Jamali, who was nominated by the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in place of Tariq Kirmani on Aug 22, 2006, will get his “appointment” endorsed by the Congress to constitutionalise it after being nominated by any district association.

In this scenario, the so-called “election” for the post of president will be nothing but sheer formality since never in the past had any Congress member dared to oppose the “nominated” individual for the president.

Nevertheless, the question is, should Jamali become the president once again despite being charged with nepotism, obliging favourites and running affairs single-handedly by previous secretary Akhtarul Islam who resigned on March 21?

Elections for president’s office aside, there are at least three individuals who are believed to be running for the post of secretary, although the list of candidates is yet to be finalised. Among the possible candidates are, Khalid Mahmood, Lt-Col Mudassar Asghar, and most surprisingly Islahuddin Siddiqui.

With the exception of Mudassar both Khalid and Islah are new faces contesting for secretary’s post. But the two former Pakistan captains are certainly no strangers to the hockey circle and have been associated with the PHF in one capacity or the other over the years.

The 1968 Mexico Olympics gold medallist, Khalid - who is camped at HCP since March 23 - is currently serving as national chief hockey selector, and had been a selector in the past also. Although there are other aspirants as well, Khalid is being tipped as hot favourite to replace Akhtar.

Coincidentally, former mercurial right-out who retired in 1973, is one of the veteran Pakistan players who has played hockey along with Jamali during their college days.

If elected, it will be however the first time that Khalid will take the reins as PHF secretary. But again he will be needing a nomination to get the formalities done and elected secretary. However, as a secretary, it will be yet another uphill challenge for Khalid who has been under fire on selection matters.

Likewise, Islah is Pakistan’s first-ever paid manager/chief coach, director international hockey and director technical. Islah has also been a manager in the past several times, but Pakistan failed to lift title at three Olympics in 1992, 1998 and 2000 under him.

Another factor to ponder is how he would manage coaching and running hockey affairs simultaneously since he has been tasked to manage the national side till 2008 Beijing Olympics. If his nomination comes at the Congress, it will be evidence enough that somebody with unflappable commitment should have been appointed for coaching assignment.

Islah might have problems since he is now serving Pakistan Customs and is on Leave Preparatory to Retirement (LPR). He will be needing nomination again from some quarters to remain in PHF office after retirement if he becomes secretary.

Coming to Lt-Col Mudassar, who recently failed to become secretary of Asian Hockey Federation, he will certainly be an odd choice. He had already served PHF as secretary and was finally sacked in 1999 by the then president Arif Ali Abbasi.

The retired colonel, who is also on LPR from PIA, is certainly a controversial personality. Although then PHF regime, headed by Gen Aziz Khan and secretary Brig Musarrat Ullah Khan, investigated into the PHF accounts during Mudassar’s tenure but it remained inconclusive.

While the audit report didn’t say whether Mudassar was involved in embezzlement, Musarrat told Dawn on March 16, 2001 that report had suggested “mismanagement and lack of competence” on part of Mudassar was the reason for financial crisis.

But many believed that Mudassar had been involved in financial irregularities during his seven-year-long tenure. PHF was under a debt of Rs 35 million including Rs 13.2 million liabilities of Hockey Club of Pakistan when Mudassar left the PHF scene. The degeneration of junior level hockey also started during Mudassar’s tenure and such was the impact of the deterioration that Pakistan decided against sending their under-18 team to Asia Cup in 2001.

Ironically, Akhtar had also attempted to contest but his nomination was not accepted by district Hyderabad. It is also incomprehensible why he chose to work along with Jamali against whom he had let off so much venom just a few weeks ago.