PSB asks PHF to stop club registration and election process

By Alam Zeb Safi
LAHORE: Pakistan’s Sports Board (PSB) has directed the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to immediately suspend its ongoing club registration and election-related activities, warning that any unilateral process carried out without official approval will not be recognised.
In a formal letter dated December16 and addressed to the President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) the PSB said recent actions announced by the federation were in violation of a framework already laid down under the directions of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination.
The PSB referred to its earlier letter of November 26, issued in compliance with the Standing Committee’s instructions which outlined a clear mechanism for conducting elections of the PHF. That framework included the establishment of an independent Election Commission, scrutiny of hockey clubs through a duly notified Scrutiny Committee and overall supervision of the process by the Pakistan Sports Board.
However, the PSB said it had taken note of recent media reports and public announcements by the PHF indicating that the federation had initiated an online registration of hockey clubs through a PHF-operated portal, announced unilateral timelines including province-wise opening of the portal, formulated its own scrutiny and district-level election process, and announced a two-member Election Commission while publicly disclosing proposed members and treating the PSB merely as a representative body.
“These actions, as publicly reported, are not in conformity with the directions already conveyed by the PSB,” the letter said.
According to the PSB, the approved framework clearly states that the Election Commission must comprise three members, with two members, including the chairman, to be nominated by the PSB and one by the PHF. It further stipulates that scrutiny of clubs must be conducted through a Scrutiny Committee formally constituted and notified, with representation from the PSB, the PHF or provincial associations, and relevant provincial or district sports authorities.
The PSB also emphasised that the scrutiny criteria and process must be approved by the Board in consultation with provincial sports boards and that the entire election process must be carried out under PSB supervision in line with the Standing Committee’s mandate.
In its clarification the PSB stated that the PHF is not authorised to unilaterally initiate or operationalise any component of the election process, including club registration, scrutiny, district or provincial elections, or the constitution or announcement of an Election Commission, without prior approval and formal notification under Article 17 of the PSB Constitution.
The Board has advised the PHF to immediately stop and hold in abeyance the entire process, including the operation of the online club registration portal, implementation of any scrutiny mechanism, and any steps taken towards district, provincial or federation-level elections, until the process is regularised strictly in accordance with PSB directions.
It also warned that any scrutiny or elections conducted unilaterally and in deviation from the prescribed framework “shall not be recognised” by the Pakistan Sports Board.
The PHF has been asked to submit a written clarification within seven days of receiving the letter, along with proposed modalities that strictly align with the PSB directions, for further examination.
The letter was issued with the approval of the Director General of the Pakistan Sports Board and signed by Muhammad Waqar Ahmed, Assistant Director for National Sports Federations.