A meeting of the National Assembly Sub-Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination, chaired by Sheikh Aftab, was held in Islamabad, attended by representatives from the Ministry of Law and the Attorney General’s Office. The committee reviewed the nomination of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Tariq Bugti, which was deemed valid by the Ministry of Law and the Attorney General’s Office. 

The committee directed the PHF to conduct immediate elections, with Tariq Bugti assuring that the process would be completed within two months. The Additional Attorney General informed the committee that the PHF General Council had expressed confidence in Bugti, tasking him with overseeing elections and an audit, as assigned by the caretaker Prime Minister. 

Yasir Pirzada, Director General of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), raised concerns about Bugti’s progress on his responsibilities, noting that the PHF had failed to provide data on its congress, associations, and clubs, making it challenging to hold elections within the stipulated time. The committee instructed Bugti to submit all PHF records promptly. Tariq Bugti defended the autonomy of the PHF, stating that the congress had given him a vote of confidence.

He accused Shahla Raza of attempting to secure a separate vote of confidence and alleged that Haider Hussain had stolen PHF records and attempted to seize the Karachi Hockey Stadium. The PHF has imposed a lifetime ban on Hussain and lodged complaints against him with relevant authorities. Federal Secretary for Inter-Provincial Coordination Muhyiddin Wani emphasized the need to resolve the ongoing dispute and urged Bugti to hold elections swiftly and step down responsibly.

FIA officials revealed that they are reviewing the PHF’s audit, objections, and irregularities, having requested relevant records from the federation. The committee directed the PHF to provide all records to the FIA for scrutiny.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)