Farooqi wins KCCA presidential elections

Former secretary accepts responsibility as a challenge.

KARACHI: Ejaz Ahmed Farooqi was elected as the president of the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) at the National Stadium in Karachi on Friday, where he was up against Nadeem Omer.

Farooqi’s appointment was accompanied by those of Shafiq Kazmi and Musheer Rabbani, who were elected as secretary and treasurer respectively.

The panels of both major candidates casted their votes, along with 21 officials from the seven zones of KCCA. Farooqi, Kazmi and Rabbani received 15, 17 and 15 votes respectively. Nadeem Omar, along with SM Ishaq and Shah Shafiuddin received six, four and three votes respectively.

This is the first time in four decades that the association will work without the presence of talismanic Sirajul Islam Bukhari, who served in different capacities throughout his tenure.

The new office bearers will be under pressure of handling the KCCA effectively in Bukhari’s absence.

Farooqi had served as the secretary under Bukhari in his last tenure but received severe criticism for his inefficiency.

He was also suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board for a short period after speaking against the non-selection of Karachi players in the national team, claiming that the governing body was biased. However, he was later restored after issuing a formal apology.

Farooqi said he is ready to accept the challenges along with his panel and has productive plans to start working for the betterment of the KCCA.

“My new responsibility is no less than a challenge,” he said. “We will start with promoting school, college and club cricket and involving senior players for training.

“The major troubles that the KCCA was facing for the past few decades included financial crisis and internal conflicts, which will we solved soon with our strategy of making every financial movement public.”

Meanwhile, Omar was disappointed by the loss and claimed that he is no longer welcomed in the KCCA.

“I have always worked hard for KCCA, but the voting results show that I am not a part of the family now. I will continue my work and will continue my search to find players from all around Pakistan,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2014.

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