IHC takes notice of hockey federation president’s removal

The Islamabad High Court on Saturday issued a notice to caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar and other parties for appointing Tariq Mansoor Bugti as the new president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation on an ad hoc basis, seeking their response by next week.

A notice has been issued to the PM as the patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hockey Federation.

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq has issued a written order for the hearing on the request of Brigadier (retd) Muhammad Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, who was removed from the post of the president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation.

The petitioner had challenged the notification appointing Bugti as the president of Pakistan Hockey Federation on an ad hoc basis.

According to the petitioner's counsel, the premier appointed Bugti as the president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation on an ad hoc basis on Dec 21, 2023, while the petitioner was elected as the president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation on Aug 18, 2022 for a period of four years.

The next election will be held in 2026 after the four-year term of the president is completed.

The petitioner's counsel said that the patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hockey Federation had no authority to remove the president and give the post to someone else.

The court issued a notice to the parties and adjourned the hearing till next week.