KARACHI Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has been once again embroiled in a visa scandal when it was revealed that secretary Asif Bajwa misused his authority, seeking German visas for his family and an unknown individual for an official tour.
Investigations by Dawn.com showed that few months after taking over charge as secretary, Asif applied for visas at German consulate in Karachi for his wife Sana Asif and son Asad Ullah Bajwa along with three other persons. The visas were sought for four-nation Hamburg Masters hockey tournament from Oct 3 to 5 in 2008.
Through a letter on PHF letterhead dated Sept 17, 2008, Asif wrote to German consulate to seek visas for six persons including him. But interestingly, apart from himself, wife and son, he claimed three individuals -Shakeel Ahmed Awan, Malik Ahtisham Zahid, and Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf, as his children.
While Shakeel and Ashraf are Lahore-based journalists, identity of Ahtisham could not be established as a media person. The date of birth, Oct 7, 1988, on Ahtishams passport gives credence to the theory the youngster, who was then 19-year-old, could not be a journalist.
Study of all the documents in possession of Dawn.com showed they were either ambiguous or contradictory. The three persons were mentioned as children, journalists and PHF officials by Asif in different documents or communication which made the matter mysterious and intriguing.
The Pakistan hockey team will participate in the four-nation Hamburg Masters hockey tournament being held from Oct 3 to 5, 2008. The undersigned (accompanied by wife and children) would accompany the team to observe the performance of the players. The passport details are as follows
Muhammad Asif Bajwa (passport No. AA-3599581) Mrs Sana Asif (wife) (passport No. KD-225601), Master Asad Ullah Bajwa (son) (passport No. AC-3598361), Shakeel Ahmed Awan (passport No. AF-1606081) , Malik Athisham (passport No. AZ-5173731), Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf (passport No. CC-1843941). You are requested to issue visas on priority, Asif wrote to German consulate.
While the secretary requested the German consulate to issue visas to his wife and children, he didnt mention the relation with the three other individuals in the passport details.
However, sources said German consulate refused to entertain the visa request since Deutscher Hockey-Bund (German Hockey Federation) had not approached the consulate to request for the visa of three individuals claimed as PHF officials by Asif.
This morning PHF representative visited the German consulate in Karachi to deposit passport and visa applications of Mr Asif Bajwa, his wife and child and other PHF officials who are part of hockey contingent. The consulate declined to entertain the visa application, informing that Deutscher Hockey-Bund has not spoken about the officials visa.
You are requested to kindly speak to the consulate official in Karachi to entertain the visa applications of all PHF officials and also exempt Mr Asif Bajwa from personal appearance. As secretary of PHF, I have a very hectic schedule of engagements in Lahore . The visa applications of wife and child of Mr Asif Bajwa may also be accepted, Asif wrote to director sports of Deutscher Hockey-Bund, Rainer Nittel, in an e-mail on Sept 19, 2008.
The three individuals were mentioned as journalists in the e-mail to the German hockey official, while in the text of the same e-mail they were mentioned as PHF officials. Nittel sent an e-mail to Asif the same day, confirming that visas would be issued in 10 to 12 days.
Nevertheless, Asif was issued visa after he appeared personally at German consulate in Karachi, while consulate officials asked PHF to apply for visa of Asifs wife, son and "children" from Islamabad as passports had been obtained from Punjab , while his wife's passport didn't have validity beyond six months. The squad, including team officials and the players were, however, issued visas by German consulate in Karachi .
Asif seems to be inspired by former PHF secretary Brig Musarrat Ullah Khan who had explicitly empowered his director administration Capt Mukhtar Ali to seek visas for unauthorized persons including brigadiers wife and children.
Although initially Musarrat made Capt Mukhtar scapegoat, saying he secured visas without his knowledge, later it was proved it was in fact Musarrat who was involved in seeking visas for unauthorized persons under the garb of "observers" and hockey lovers.
It is believed that as many as 45 unauthorized people were sent abroad by PHF in the human trafficking case. The visas were sought for the Netherlands, Spain, Australia, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom.
While law enforcement agencies didnt take action, Musarrat was intensely grilled by Senate Standing Committee on Sports. He tendered his resignation to PHF president Tariq Kirmani after the then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz ordered for his removal.
In Asifs case, visas were sought when Zafarullah Jamali was the PHF president. It was ironic while the money could have been spent on domestic hockey activity, PHF opted to send three journalists on insignificant three-day offshore tour. PHF is again planning to send a group of journalist for Asia Cup coverage late this month, sources said.
Was Asif and his familys presence to observe the performance of the team imperative that too on PHF's expense, is another point to ponder.
