PHF executive board meeting

LAHORE (September 4, 2013): The executive board of Pakistan Hockey Federation will meet here on September 11 with main item on the agenda is discussion on the elections of the PHF.

PHF President PHF Qasim Zia will preside over the meeting which will also review the performance of the national hockey team in the wake of its shocking defeat in Asia Cup recently in Ipoh, Malaysia which deprived the country from participation in next years world cup in Holland.

“The meeting will suggest remedial measures to lift the sagging fortunes of the national hockey team,” he added.

Sportsmen, official protest against Olympics House illegal possession

LAHORE (September 4, 2013): The officials of various national and provincial sports federations and organisations and sportsmen staged a protest demonstration here on Wednesday outside the Lahore Press Club against the illegal possession of the Pakistan Olympic House.

The protesters were holding ply cards and they chanted slogan in the favour of President, Pakistan Olympic Association, Lt Gen retd Syed Arif Hasan and termed the forceful possession of by a goon of armed people “a grave step to ruin country’s image abroad’ and to draw a disciplinary action against Pakistan by International Olympic Committee.

“POA is the house of country’s sports and its illegal possession by a rival POA is a biggest conspiracy against sports of Pakistan,” said the peaceful protesters.

Prominent among them were President, Pakistan Ju-jitsu Federation, Khalil Ahmad Khan, President, Pakistan Weightlifting Federation, Hafiz Imran Butt, President, Pakistan Karate Federation, Muhammad Jahangir and number of officials of national and provincial sports bodies.

They appealed to the government to take notice of the situation and to direct the concerned quarters to vacate the POA House from the possession of armed individuals backed by a rival faction of POA..

Khalil Khan said that POA led by Gen Arif is recognized by the IOC as well as Olympic Council of Asia and the forceful possession of the POA House comes as a big shock for those who are related to country’s sports.

“It is a very unfortunate incident and we strongly condemn it and appeal to the higher authorities to resolve this issue on top priority basis as delay can provoke the IOC to suspend Pakistan membership and the country can be deprived form taking part in international sports events abroad,” he said.

Meanwhile, DIG Zafar Abbas Luk, Senior Vice President, POA headed by Major Gen retd Mohammad Akram Sahi has dismissed the allegations of forceful possession of POA House and said genuine people have taken over the control of the POA House after their success in the elections of the National Olympic Committee.

“As per a decision of the apex court and according to the direction given in the national sports policy, Gen retd Arif was heading the POA illegally after running the POA for the third successive term,” he said.

40KM cycle race

LAHORE (September 4, 2013): Mughalpura Cycling Club is organizing an Open Ordinary  Road Cycle Race here on September 6 on Defence Day of the country.

The 40 kilmetre long tough race will flag off from Mughalpura canal bridge terminating at the same point after going through a marked route on the canal.

Syed Nazakat Ali, International Cycling Coach will be chief judge and  Qasir Saddique Bhatti is the chief coordinator of the event.

Defence day cycling

LAHORE  (September 3, 2013): The Punjab Cycling Association is organizing defence day cycle 20-kilometre race here on September 8.
The race will commence from Divisional Public School model terminating at the same point after going through some marked areas of the model town.
 President, PCA, Moazzam Ali Khan will be the chief guest at the closing ceremony and cash prizes will be given to first six position holders ,said Farrukh Wazir, Secretary, PCA here on Tuesday.
He said the race is open to the riders having ordinary bikes and its prime objective is to promote cycling the youth.

Rashid Latif meets PCB officials

LAHORE (September 3, 2013): In pursuance to the notice by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), former Pakistan captain, Rashid Latif met the Chief operating officer, PCB. Subhan Ahmad and Legal Advisor. Taffazul Rizvi on Tuesday at Gaddafi Stadium.
"During the meeting Latif submitted certain material pertaining to banned test cricketer Danish Kaneria's matter, which will be reviewed in detail by the PCB and in case the need arises another meeting will be scheduled in near future", said a spokesman of PCB.
The PCB and Rashid Latif have decided that no further comments will be made on the subject for the time being, he added.

LCCA restored: Khawaja Nadeem

LAHORE (September 3, 2013): President, Lahore City Cricket Association, Khawaja Nadeem Ahmed said on Tuesday that LCCA was restored after expiry of 90-day interim setup imposed on the body as the fresh elections of body could not be held.
"It was a direction of the court that the elections of the LCCA be held within 45  days after Pakistan Cricket Board put the body under an interim set up on May 9,this year and its 90-day interim expired on August 9 and elections were not held which means that the body stand restored ",he said here.The PCB imposed an interim setup on LCCA whose President sought justice from the court which directed the PCB to hold the elections of the body within 45 days that did not happen and the LCCA is still managed by the interim committee."Even the constitutions of Pakistan as well the PCB clearly state that that any organization can be put under interim for a maximum time period of 90 days which cannot be exceeded and in the present scenario as the per both the constitutions we stand restored and are the legal office bearers of the body ",he said.He said he would soon convene a meeting of LCCA which will be attended by its office bearers belonging to all the three affiliated zones. " The meeting will take place in LCCA ground which is the house of Lahore cricket and we will fulfill all the constitutional procedure for calling general council and the executive committee meetings ", he added.The LCCA chief said the interim committee was given a mandate of 90 days to run the day to day affairs of the LCCA and it is quite shocking that the committee has taken decisions which were out of its jurisdiction."All these issues will be discussed in the meeting and we will be drawing a line of action with the mutual consent of both the houses (general and executive committee) ",he said.Khawaja Nadeem said the interim committee is interfering in the affairs of affiliated zones of LCCA including east west and north which comprises elected office bearers and all the decisions taken by the interim committee are unlawful and unconstitutional." How could we support these decisions as the zones have been restricted from working and their responsibilities have been taken over by the interim committee which is taking illegal decisions just to prolong its tenure which has already been expired ",he said."It is a damaging situation for Lahore's cricket and we will be taking this matter to the court in order to get directions in this regard as the Pakistan and PCB constitutions clearly state about the time frame (90 days) for putting any body under interim set up ", he said.

Forceful possession of Olympics House may lead to IOC sanctions: Gen Arif

LAHORE (September 2): Pakistan Olympics Association President Lt-Gen (retd) Syed Arif Hasan has pointed out that the forceful possession of the Olympics House by the bogus body of POA is an illegal step which can lead to sanctions on Pakistan by the International Olympic Committee. 

“We fully condemn this illegal action in which all the locks of the Olympics House were broken and our employees were manhandled and all the record was taken away by certain individuals," he said in a hurriedly called press conference on Monday.

Gen Arif said the ugly incident in which Olympics House invasion and its forceful possession was an extreme step taken by the bogus POA which has the backing of the Pakistan Sports Board.

“We were in a position to resist it (possession) but we did not because we are law-abiding citizens and represent Pakistan’s sports at the highest international forums of IOC and Olympic Council of Asia," he asserted.

He said POA will take legal action against those who were responsible for this shameful act and will seek justice from court on this issue.

“The illegal and forceful possession by dozens of people caused panic in the POA as all the locks were broken ,the main computer was take away," he said, adding: “Even the locks of all the offices situated in the premises of POA were also broken and their illegal possession was taken."

To a question, they were in a position to retaliate but did not to avoid any untoward incident. “The PSB is behind this move which has written us letter to vacate the POA house but we did not do so as we are the elected office bearers of the national Olympic committee and represent the entire sports family of Pakistan at international level.”

“Definitely the IOC will not be feeling happy to know about this latest development and we will coming up with a line of action which could result Pakistan’s suspension in international sports," he added.

 The POA expressed his resolve to get back the possession of POA house by using the legal way. 

“We can take it back the way it was taken from us but we will go for legal course of action," he added.

He termed the elections of bogus POA a conspiracy against Pakistan sports to damage the cause of sports in Pakistan .

“ We are the custodian of sports in Pakistan but today’s incident has proved that even sports houses are not secured and they can be taken away by people who are determined to ruin country’s sports," he said.

Gen Sahi-led POA breaks in to take control of Olympics House

LAHORE (September 2): Major-General (retd) Mohammad Akram Sahi-led Pakistan Olympic Association which have the backing of the Pakistan Sports Board on Monday broke in to take control of the Olympics House at Temple Road, Lahore.

After taking the possession of the House, Gen Sahi claimed that the genuine National Olympic Committee has taken a rightful decision.

"We are the legal and genuine POA representing majority of the national sports federations and we have taken a correct decision by taking possession of the Olympics House which is the legal headquarters of  Pakistan Olympics," said Zafar Abbas Luk, Senior Vice President POA. 

While addressing a news conference here in the presence of Secretary POA Khawaja Farooq Saeed, Luk said he along with  Vice President POA, Senator Haji Ghulam Ali and Farooq Saeed came to the Olympics House to get the possession and accomplished the task without any interference.

“It was a peaceful transfer of power and we did not face any resistance from any one and we have asked all the employees to continue their work without any fear or concern in their mind," he said.

Zafar Abbas said the national sports federations gave them the mandate in the fresh elections of the POA in which Gen Sahi was elected as President in place of Lt Gen (retd) Syed Arif Hassan who was no more the president of the body in light of the national sports policy which bars any office-bearers for contesting the election for third term after two successive terms in office.

“It is not a forceful occupation or possession, it is a transfer of power as the previous regime of the POA has illegally occupied the Olympics House," he said. 

“The Pakistan Sports Board gave us a direction to take control of the House after accepting the results of elections of the POA," he added.

He claimed that Arif-led POA had lost its mandate which was evident from the fresh elections of the POA in which majority of the national federations reposed their confidence on Gen Sahi.

The POA official said the platform of the POA will be used purely for the development of the sports in the country and those who are trying to mix politics in sports will be not be entertained.

“We have a specific mandate to promote sports and we will be assembling all the national sports federations at one platform to achieve this objective," he said. 

“Today truth has prevailed as right people has taken over the control of the Olympics House.”

Khawaja Farooq Saeed said there is no moral justification for Arif Hassan for occupying the place after the decisions of apex courts in the light of the national sports policy. 

“PSB sent them many letters to vacate the Olympics House but they did not pay any attention to it."

He said that they will be preparing a road map of country’s sorts for next eight years and after achieving the set goals in the first years they will leave.

“Our aim is to revive country’s sports which has touched its lowest alb during the past ten years regime of Arif and efforts will be made to put sports at the road of progress," he said.