LAHORE: A hefty Rs100 million was drawn in cash from the bank accounts of the Pakistan Hockey Federation across 2020-21, according to the body’s audit — conducted by the Pakistan Sports Board. The audit report seen by Dawn on Monday has recommended severe action against the officials involved in drawing cash directly from the PHF accounts an illegal act according to its constitution.

The PSB ordered a special audit of the PHF after the body’s incumbent president retired Brigadier Khalid Sajjad Khokhar ignored the former’s order to conduct fresh elections earlier this year. Khalid eventually went on to conduct the due polls, only to be re-elected for a second term as president but he may find himself in hot waters again when the audit report is officially released since he was at the PHF’s helm when the apparent corruption was carried out. It is not the first time that cash has been drawn directly from the PHF bank accounts. In 2017, officials of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Hockey Association had alleged that Rs116.5 million were drawn in the same way.

Then, too, Khalid was the PHF president while Shahbaz Senior was the federation’s secretary. However, no action was taken in response to the allegations.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 14 2022

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