Pakistan Olympic Association

19-May-2012

The News

KARACHI: After a heated debate on the Supreme Court’s decision at the Executive Committee meeting of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) in Islamabad on Friday, it was decided that the verdict would be sent to the Law Ministry for an interpretation and then a decision about the future plan would be made.

A PSB official told ‘The News’ after the meeting chaired by Minister of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Mir Hazar Khan Bijrani that the meeting was convened to decide the course of action after the apex court’s verdict under which the PSB has the right to implement its policies.

After no conclusion could be reached, it was decided that the verdict would be sent to the Law Ministry for interpretation, the official said.

According to the judgment, the officials of those federations who have served for more than two tenures have to vacate their seats.

Sources said that some members, including Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Qasim Zia, suggested that the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) elections should be held again.

But the POA chief Lt General (retd) Arif Hasan strongly opposed it and advised the house to read the court judgment.

Sources said that Arif came hard on his rivals and refused to accept anything that might violate the charter of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

An insider said POA was not an affiliated body of the PSB and the Supreme Court had also exempted it in its verdict. He said tinkering with POA would shake the whole sports structure.

Arif asked the Board members what they would get by removing the seasoned officials of some of the federations.

He urged both PSB and federations to amicably resolve the issue.

He asked what success the Board had made in infrastructure development.

According to the SC verdict the PSB has the right to lay down its rules and implement them.

Sources revealed that the POA would strongly support federations and that it was planning to challenge some of the PSB rules.

Sources also said that PSB’s amendment in its constitution that it could form, amend and repeal the constitutions of federations was illegal. It was not approved by its general body which has had no meeting for the last several years.

Sources said some of the federations affected by the judgment might want to withdraw their affiliations with PSB.

Others who attended the meeting included IPC secretary Anisul Hasnain, Joint Secretary Abdul Ghaffar, PSB Director General Technical Dr Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera, PSB Director General Amir Hamza Gilani, Pakistan Boxing Federation President Doda Khan Bhutto, Pakistan Badminton Federation President Nazar Mohammad Gondal and MNA Yasmin Rehman.