Islamabad (HRNW)- A meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination, chaired by Sheikh Aftab Ahmed, witnessed intense discussions regarding the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), its scrutiny process and upcoming elections. The committee unanimously approved the minutes of the previous meeting and was briefed on the current status of PHF elections and club verification.
During the meeting, it was decided to form a scrutiny committee in collaboration with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and the Pakistan Hockey Federation. The Chairman PSB informed the participants that the committee will set standards for hockey clubs, ensure player data matching, and make it mandatory for each club to have a president and secretary. Clubs will also be required to submit registration documents and provide details of their grounds.
The PSB Chairman further stated that an online registration portal has been launched and initial recommendations have been prepared. Across the country, around 1,100 hockey clubs will be scrutinized under the new criteria. In the first phase, only Islamabad-based clubs have been summoned. Elections of the Pakistan Hockey Federation will be held after completion of the scrutiny process.
During the session, MNA Shehla Raza raised serious concerns, stating that Tariq Bugti is not the elected president of the PHF and demanded immediate elections. She criticized past performance of the federation and alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement, adding that even the Additional Attorney General had termed previous elections illegal.
MNA Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan responded by stating that repeated discussions on the same issue were becoming counterproductive. He argued that if the Prime Minister had appointed the PHF president, then the appointment should be considered legitimate. His remarks led to further heated exchanges, with Shehla Raza emphasizing that the law must be followed regardless of political pressure.
MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan also intervened, demanding equal speaking time for all members. Meanwhile, Dr. Mehreen Bhutto questioned the current legal status of the PHF. In response, the PSB Chairman clarified that only one hockey federation in Pakistan is officially affiliated with the PSB and the International Hockey Federation (FIH), and that the Attorney General’s report did not declare the president’s appointment illegal.
PHF Secretary Rana Mujahid assured the committee that the federation accepts the Standing Committee’s orders and will fully cooperate in the scrutiny process. He also announced that Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir will attend the closing ceremony of the upcoming hockey club tournament.
DG PSB committee member Aqeel Anjum Khan stressed that fair elections are the only solution to ongoing issues. Chairman Sheikh Aftab Ahmed urged members to maintain discipline during discussions and avoid cross-talk.
At the end of the meeting, the committee formed a sub-committee on Pakistan Hockey Federation affairs, appointing Mehreen Bhutto as convener, with Anjum Aqeel Khan and Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan as members.
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