Mansoor accuses PHF official of human trafficking

ISLAMABAD - Former hockey player and Olympian Mansoor Ahmed has accused the secretary Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Asif Bajwa of facilitating human trafficking. Addressing a press conference here at National Press Club (NPC) on Monday, he alleged that Malik Ehtesham Zahid was not a journalist and the PHF produced fake documents to send the person to Germany. "Asif Bajwa also got the visa for his wife Sona Asif and his son Asadullah Bajwa on the letter pad of the PHF," he alleged. "The PHF issued a letter with the signatures of Asif Bajwa to the Consulate of Germany in Karachi on September 7, 2008 in which an unknown name Malik Ahtesham Zahid was included as a journalist but in reality he was not a journalist. He also used the same letter for his wife and son to get visa for Germany. The team had to take part in the Hamburg Masters, which was held from October 3-5, 2008," he added. Mansoor, a former goalkeeper, further said that president PHF Qasim Zia was not aware of the misuse of the documents. "However, if he does not take any action against the culprits, it will prove that he was equally responsible for the whole mismanagement," he said. "I will request the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani to order investigation of this scam. I am also considering legal action against the PHF," he said. Mansoor further said that the current management failed to promote the national game. "The academies programme could not be implemented completely. There is one or two academies but the PHF claims to have established 18 academies in the country. There is no plan for the promotion of the national game. We should get rid of this management to save hockey," said. Later, a spokesman of PHF denied the allegations and said that PHF did not issue any letter to any journalist. "The family of the PHF's secretary did not visit Germany. Mansoor has been convicted in some cases, how could he blame others? He tried to get visa of USA without the NOC from the ministry of sports," he said.

ePaper - Nawaiwaqt