The News
News Correspondent
KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday allowed Sindh Olympic Association (SOA) to hold its elections scheduled for January 8 but at the same time advised it not to announce the results of the exercise.
In the light of the petition filed by the Sindh Handball Association few days ago, the SHC had summoned SOA officials on Friday. SOA secretary Ahmad Ali Rajput appeared before the court while Mudassir Arain represented the other party who had requested the court for issuing a stay order against the electoral meeting of the SOA on the plea that the association’s top officials were involved in corruption and violation of constitution during their four-year tenure in the office. The court will also send its observer to see the electoral process of the Olympic body who will submit his report. The next hearing will be held on January 12 during which the SOA will submit its elections results. If the court recognised the results, then it would be announced.
Sources in the SOA said that all arrangements for the electoral meeting have been completed. ‘The News’ learnt that SOA has received nominations from 37 associations out of the affiliated 39 while Sindh Shooting Association is yet to send its nominations. Sindh Badminton Association has been stopped from casting its vote because of the presence of two parallel bodies in the province.
Following the decision, the opposing party led by Abdul Razzaq Arain has decided to take part in the elections and will soon decide about its panel.
The SHC decision to allow SOA to conduct its elections as per schedule has prevented the situation from deterioration. Had the court issued a stay order, it could have produced problems for the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) as well as it is also going to hold its electoral meeting on February 4 in Lahore.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Handball Federation’s secretary Mohammad Shafiq told ‘The News’ that he is really disappointed by the news circulated in the media that Sindh Handball Association has submitted a petition in the Sindh High Court against the elections of the SOA.