Punjab Football Association elections declared illegal

Lahore: Director General Sports Punjab Usman Anwar, under the orders of Lahore High Court, has declared the recently held Punjab Football Association (PFA) elections as illegal and void after a thorough investigation.

The 13-page decision, issued on Thursday, stated that PFA elections were never held on the scheduled date and time and thus DG SBP, in exercise of his powers conferred upon him under Article 10 (vi) & (xxiv) of the Constitution of Sports Board Punjab issued vide Notification dated 8^th April 1985 read with Section 4 of Pakistan Sports (Development & Control) Ordinance 1962 alongwith Article 268 (1) (6) of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973, has declared the Impugned Notification off PFF dated 20^th April 2015, as null and void.

In the Punjab elections, which were scheduled to be held on April 17, 2015 at PFF House, Ali Haider Noor Niazi of Arshad Khan Lodhi group was up against PFF’s Marketing Consultant Sardar Naveed Haider for the post of PFA President.

The controversy initiated when Election Commissioner Nayyer Haider disqualified seven voters of Arshad Khan Lodhi Group. Amid staid confusion on the elections day, the PFF declared Sardar Naveed Haider as the winner.

The debarred voters moved the Lahore High Court through petitions 12232 and 12233 to seek the justice. The LHC, on the petitions filed by Arshad Khan Lodhi, Anees Ahmed Khan Lodhi and Muhammad Ashraf, ordered DG SBP to investigate the issue thoroughly and assess the status of elections after hearing both the factions carefully.

DG SBP Usman Anwar, under the order of honorable court vide office letter No AD (SBP)-WP12233-1, had invited both the factions to record their point of views whatever they may be, in favour of their respective claims.

Obeying the court order, Arshad Khan Lodhi Group, with all their 20 members from across the province, appeared before DG SBP Usman Anwar on May 9, 2015 at National Hockey Stadium and submitted their statements.

20 out of 35 members of Electing Congress and Lt. Col. (retd) Syed Farasat Ali Shah, who had been appointed by PFF Congress, submitted their statements on oath that elections were not held on the scheduled date and time.

On Monday, May 11, 2015, SBP invited all the media as it did on May 9, for the coverage of proceedings of Faisal Saleh Hayat group’s hearing but they (Faisal Saleh Hayat group) refused to record their point of view before DG SBP saying that they are an independent and private body and SBP had no powers to interfere in PFF elections.

In this regard, the law land is very much clear that Registration of Sports associations and holding their elections under the supervision of Board/Divisional/District Sports Committees is a mandatory function of Sports Board Punjab under Article 10 (vi) of the Constitution of Sports Board Punjab. At the same time, the PFF vide letter dated 11-5-2015, has not denied any allegation leveled by the petitioners against them.

The findings of investigative report said that severe illegalities, acts of cheating, fraud and dishonest conduct of part of Election Commissioner Punjab and certain office-bearers of PFF have been found in conduct of PFA elections.

It was also found that candidature of Ali Haider Noor Niazi was rejected while that of Sardar Naveed Haider was accepted whereas the qualification of both the candidates in respect of PFA elections was similar.

In its conclusion, the SBP’s decision stated that severe illegalities, acts of cheating, fraud and dishonest have been committed by the respondents in issuance of impugned notification dated April 20, 2015 regarding successful candidature of Sardar Naveed Haider as President PFA and five others as Vice-Presidents PFA.