PTF delays elections

The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) chairperson Dilawar Abbas confirmed that the elections of the organisation will now be held in August.

This is due to the sessions court in Islamabad issuing a stay order against the holding of elections since Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Tennis Association (KPTA) and Balochistan Tennis Association (BTA) cannot hold the polls due to the law and order situation in the area. “We are waiting for the KPTA and BTA to find some way to participate in the elections,” Abbas told The Express Tribune. “Basically, they are the voters, if they want us to wait for them, we will. We initially got strict orders from the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) to hold the elections soon.

But since we follow the International Tennis Federation constitution, we can delay the electoral process.” The PTF elections were initially due to take place in March but the KPTA and BTA asked the PTF to postpone the polls. The PTF turned down the request as they were facing pressure from the POA to go ahead with the elections, prompting the KPTA and BTA to take the matter to court. According to Abbas, the stay order does not define the duration of the interim period, however, the elections will be in August because it would be unfair for PTF’s 12 other units.

Published in the Express Tribune, May 19th,  2010.