PHF affairs hang in the balance

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) plans to convene the 54th Congress meeting within next two weeks to elect new secretary and to fulfill all pending constitutional requirements.

Former international Ayaz Mehmood who has taken over the charge as acting secretary confirmed to The News that the meeting would be convened within next couple of weeks to decide on the pending matters including the appointment on new secretary in place of Shahbaz Ahmad. Shahbaz had to resign last week following Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) intervention.

“The federation is expected to convene the postponed Congress meeting within next couple of weeks to decide on pending matter including the appointment of new secretary. We are waiting signals from the PHF president Brig (rtd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar before deciding on the recalling the meeting,” Ayaz Mehmood said. When asked whether he would be a candidate for the secretary post, he said it was up to the President PHF. “It is the president to decided whether he wants me as secretary or else,” he said.

The acting secretary PHF also confirmed that Rehan Butt and Danish Kaleem would continue their job with the national team while the federation will have to look for replacement of Hasan Sardar and Tauqir Dar who resign following World Cup debacle.

It is not clear yet, whether federation would take next move after consulting the high-ups including the Ministry of IPC. There are also strong chances that the federal government would step in and make changes in the current PHF set- up within next ten days.

Currently The News has learnt that there are more than one possibility under Ministry of IPC consideration. “The government may decide on the future of Pakistan hockey within next ten days. Currently different options are being considered,” a source within the Ministry when approached said.