ISLAMABAD, DEC 16 /DNA/.– The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has intervened decisively in the ongoing internal affairs of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), declaring its planned electoral process null and void. In an official communication, the PSB has directed the PHF to immediately halt all steps leading to federation elections, citing multiple violations of legal and regulatory frameworks.
The core of the dispute lies in the PHF’s recent initiation of club registrations, scrutiny, and the formation of a two-member election commission through its own portal. The PSB, in its letter, has unequivocally stated that these actions are “illegal” and beyond the federation’s authority.
According to the PSB, the mandate to conduct elections, oversee club registration, and perform eligibility scrutiny rests solely with the Sports Board under the prevailing regulations. The PHF’s attempt to undertake these processes autonomously is deemed a direct violation of Article 17 of its own constitution and the overarching national sports policy.
The Board highlighted that it had already clarified the legal position to the PHF in a prior letter dated 26th November. The recent directives reinforce that stance, stripping the PHF’s two-member election commission of any legal standing.
In a firm ultimatum, the PSB has given the Hockey Federation seven days to submit a written explanation for proceeding with what the Board terms an “illegal course of action.” This move effectively freezes the PHF’s electoral calendar and places the entire process of leadership transition under the PSB’s direct supervision.
This intervention underscores a significant escalation in tensions between the country’s top sports regulatory body and one of its most historically prominent federations. The development throws the administration of hockey in Pakistan into a state of uncertainty, pending the PHF’s response and further directives from the Pakistan Sports Board.
