KARACHI Two Pakistan hockey officials have been served legal notices for allegedly failing to return loans acquired from a sacked Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) employee despite repeated requests within last 15 months.
On behalf of her husband, Imtiaz Baig, Shafia Imtiaz through her lawyer has demanded PHF director administration Iftikhar Syed and director project Shujaat Naqvi, to return Rs174,500 or face the legal action.
According to the legal notice, Imtiaz had given Rs 94,500 to PHF Karachi Camp Office at Hockey Club of Pakistan on the instruction of Iftikhar as the federation was short of cash to meet the expenditures. The amount was for paying gas bill, air tickets, construction of posts for TV cameras, cell phone bills of Asif Bajwa and selector Rana Mujahid, surety bonds of national team players, insurance and catering bills for the officials during series between Pakistan senior and junior teams.
Besides the said amount which is yet to be paid back, Imtiaz had also provided Rs80,000 to help PHF meet the expenses during 2006-07. Imtiaz, however, alleges the PHF is yet to pay the money back, although it had been recorded in the audit book.
The amount was spent by Imtiaz on PHF expenditures after the assurance by the Karachi Camp Office that the money would be paid back once the details of the expenses would be received by Lahore-based PHF headquarters. Imtiaz also alleges that although PHF treasurer Gulfaraz Ahmad Khan had been thrice requested in writing to pay back the amount, he didn't pay heed.
Shafia through her lawyer alleged that Iftikhar had promised her husband that his amount would be returned within 15 days on the time of relinquishing charge after being sacked on Feb 10, 2009. She further claimed that while dues of others parties had been returned, the PHF was yet to move on Imtiaz's case.
She said although it was the responsibility of Iftikhar and Shujaat to return the borrowed amount, the two officials failed to do so despite several requests. It was also alleged that neither the officials gave any reason nor did they return the amount. Apart from the PHF, Shafia said prime minister, former chairman of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Sports Jamshaid Dasti and PHF chief Qasim Zia had also been approached but in vain.
Shafia's lawyer also reminded Iftikhar and Shujaat that they misbehaved with Shafia and her and family when she went to meet PHF secretary Asif Bajwa along with her husband on April 18 at Hockey Club of Pakistan. She alleged that her family was not allowed to enter the venue by the two officials.
The lawyer on behalf of Shafia demanded Iftikhar and Shujaat to return the amount borrowed from her husband within 15 days through a crossed cheque along with a letter explaining the reason for delay. In case of failure, her lawyer wrote, the amount would be recovered along with 20 per cent profit per month and cost of damage of reputation.
Imtiaz has been at loggerheads with PHF since his sacking, alleging that he is being threatened by Iftikhar of dire consequences if he does not stop protesting against the PHF secretary.
Imtiaz had earlier staged protests against PHF, demanding his money back and once even threatened to commit suicide in front of Hockey Club of Pakistan if his amount was not returned.
Imtiaz has now sought justice from Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry by writing a letter, mentioning details of his alleged illegal sacking and amount which PHF has to pay. The former PHF official has requested the chief justice to intervene, investigate and ask PHF officials the reason for this injustice.
The former PHF employee had also challenged his sacking in the court. He has already sued Asif, seeking Rs 34.68million in damages for what he claims was illegal sacking. The case is pending against Asif in Sindh High Court.
Imtiaz has also alleged Asif had been involved in human smuggling. According to Imtiaz, through a letter on PHF letterhead dated Sept 17, 2008, Asif wrote to German consulate to seek visas for six persons including him for Hamburg Masters. Interestingly, apart from himself, wife and son, he claimed three individuals including Malik Ahtisham Zahid, as his children.
Study of all the documents in possession of Dawn.com shows 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 makes the matter mysterious and intriguing.
