ISLAMABAD - Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) Ministry is all set to finally appoint ad-hoc on Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) in next 72 hours highly reliable sources in the IPC and government have confirmed to this scribe on condition of anonymity.
It is pertinent to mention here that this move was very much on the cards for the past few months as some so-called tennis greats and former office-holders of the federation were consistently lobbying to appoint ad-hoc on Pakistan's most active and undisputed federation. The move was somehow failed to take off that time despite the Pakistan Sports Board's hectic efforts.
But now the sources in IPC have confirmed that one of the top and leading figures in Punjab has ordered the IPC to appoint ad-hoc on PTF. The move will be highly unjustified and untimely as this is the election year as the previous body has almost completed their 4-year term and the elections are due in November this year. Despite financial constraints,PTF president Kaleem Imam had managed to not only conduct maximum ranking events one after another, which were rarely witnessed in the past, but also sent teams for Davis Cup and Fed Cup, which were not getting due recognition for the last 10-years or so, junior Davis Cup and above all U-14 level players were also provided opportunities to reflex their muscles against the best in the business. Nofil Kaleem managed to grab number 1 position in U-14 in Asia.
Highly placed sources on condition of anonymity have confirmed that next 24 to 48 hours are very crucial. “We have received orders from the top most authority to immediately appoint ad hoc on the PTF and Salim Saifullah would be the head of the ad hoc committee. He is the brother of former PTF president Anwar Saifullah Khan” the sources added. It is quite unfortunate that a federation, which is running very successfully and one of the very few where no parallel body exists, is all set to be ruined, just because of few individuals wish.
When contacted PTF president Kaleem said he had long heard these rumors. “Non-tennis actors and some certain individuals have long conspiring against federation right from the day one when I won the elections. andIit would be highly unjustified if ad hoc was imposed on the PTF. I am ready to conduct early elections next month despite I still have about 6-months left in my tenure. It is my humble request to authorities concern and especially IPC to keep in mind before making decision in haste that Pakistan could get banned at international forums and players would be deprived from participating in international meets.”