The Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court has directed the Pakistan Sports Board and the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination to immediately write to the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) regarding the suspension of PHF bank accounts operation under the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) petition. This decision was made during the hearing of a petition filed by the PHF against the suspension of its management by the Pakistan Sports Board.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation had approached the Islamabad High Court against the decision of the Pakistan Sports Board to suspend the PHF management. The Pakistan Sports Board had suspended the PHF management on August 16, 2023, citing legal and procedural grounds, and had referred the matter to the Supreme Court.
The Secretary of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, Hyder Hussain, filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court, requesting a hearing on the matter. During the hearing, officials from the Sports Board and the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination were summoned by the court, and representatives from both parties were present during the proceedings, including lawyers and representatives of the players.
The Sports Board and the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination informed the court that they had not written any letter to the bank to stop or suspend the PHF bank accounts operation in any way. They also stated that the current elected management of the PHF is functioning.
In the case filed by the Pakistan Hockey Federation, it was alleged that the suspension of the PHF management was illegal and unconstitutional. The honorable court had previously issued directions to the Sports Board and the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination to submit their response to the petition.
Barrister Mian Ali Ashfaq, Advocate Tariq Idowu, Barrister Qadeer, Azmi Latif Butt Advocate, and others represented the Pakistan Hockey Federation during the hearing. During the courtroom proceedings, Secretary PHF Hyder Hussain, Executive Secretary PHF Ali Abbas, Congress Member PHF Shuja Iqbal Raja, Shahid Iqbal Raja, Raja Mumtaz Hussain Arif, were also present.