PHF Congress Row Sparks Legal Storm, Shehla Raza Seeks PM’s Intervention

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: Member of the National Assembly Syeda Shehla Raza has expressed serious reservations over the decision of Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) ad hoc president Mohyuddin Wani to convene a Congress meeting on March 27, calling it a violation of the Prime Minister’s directives.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Shehla Raza urged immediate intervention, stating that the ad hoc president’s mandate is limited to running day-to-day affairs and ensuring free and fair elections within the federation.

According to the letter, calling a controversial Congress meeting — especially by inviting members of parallel associations — undermines the electoral process and contradicts the government’s instructions. Shehla Raza emphasized that the elections process, initiated during the tenure of former PHF president Tariq Bugti, is still legally valid and has not been concluded.
She further pointed out that the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination and the Pakistan Sports Board have not recognized the 2022 PHF elections, leaving the federation in a prolonged constitutional vacuum since 2018–2022 term completion.

Raising concerns over financial transparency, the letter noted that the Auditor General of Pakistan has already raised 113 audit objections against the federation. She alleged that the purpose of the controversial Congress meeting is to protect past irregularities and shield parallel associations formed during the previous administration.

Shehla Raza also criticized Wani for allegedly favoring elements linked to past mismanagement instead of initiating investigations through the FIA to hold those responsible accountable.
Meanwhile, legal experts argue that under PHF rules, once the election process begins, the Congress ceases to exist constitutionally. They also highlighted that nearly 50% of the Congress members had already been disqualified during the tenure of former PHF president Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, further questioning the legitimacy of the planned meeting.

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Experts maintained that a new Congress can only be formed through fresh elections, making the current move legally questionable.