PHF president removes Shahbaz Ahmad as secretary

LAHORE: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Shahbaz Ahmad Senior on Sunday said he did not resign from his post but was removed. 

Speaking to Geo News, Shahbaz said he did not hand in his resignation but that he was removed from his position as PHF secretary.

“Three months ago I had handed in my resignation but it was not accepted,” Shahbaz said, adding that he is not hungry for any position and that he does not want to work with the PHF president.

He further urged the government to look into the matters of the hockey federation. "I was removed so that Sajjad Khokar can bring in his own man."

Reports of rifts between PHF president and Shahbaz had been rife with him resulting in him being removed.

Shahbaz had resigned from his post in December last year after Pakistan’s dismal show at the Hockey World Cup in India. 

Earlier, reports had emerged that Shahbaz had handed in his resignation to the PHF president who acknowledged the services rendered by the outgoing secretary for the cause of hockey. "During the past three and a half years he did his job with professional commitment and devotion," Khokar had said.

The PHF president had further added that former Olympian Asif Bajwa will replace Shahbaz as PHF’s secretary. 

Bajwa — who had resigned from the post of PHF secretary in 2013 — will take charge of office on May 6.