PBF elections to take place next month

Nominations for presidency to be announced January 22

KARACHI: With the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) elections set to take place on January 26 in Peshawar, it is expected that the status quo of the management will stay the same.

The PBF general council held a meeting last week where they agreed to have elections next month while the four-year term ends on December 20.

The council also decided that current president Doda Khan Bhutto will preside over the meeting in January, while he will serve as the chairman of the federation — a new post created just for him.

Meanwhile, an opposing group led by former PBF secretary Akram Khan wants to see Sindh Sports Minister Sardar Muhammad Bux Khan Mahar to contest the election.

However, it seems an unlikely scenario according to PBF Secretary Iqbal Hussain.

“Mahar will not be able to contest the elections, not at least according to the rules,” Hussain told The Express Tribune. “There is a group that doesn’t follow the AIBA rules, but Mahar needs someone out of 28 members in council to name him. Without this he can’t be a candidate.”

Iqbal further revealed that Punjab Boxing Association president Khalid Mehmood’s name has been suggested for the president. “So far no one has official sent out a request for nomination, we’ll find out on January 22; Mehmood has shown a keen interest though,” said Hussain.