ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Badminton Federation (PBF) secretary Imtiaz Gill came down hard at parallel body for bringing bad name to the country and utilizing those players for international events, who have no rankings and already cases of human trafficking pending against them in FIA and other agencies, which were filed by the government and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).
Talking to The Nation, Imtiaz said: “I am surprised there is no commonsense or ethics. People must understand the dignity of the country while taking personal favours. I am in shocked to know that M Perviaz, Malik Athar Javed, Mujahid Hasan Khan, Nadeem Ishaq Mir and Mian Sadaqat Shah had sent their nominations as Pakistani players for the 2015 Younex Canadian Masters Badminton Championship. 45 and over players are eligible to take part in the Masters Cup. We follow ranking system in that particular category as well. The PBF filed a written complaint to secretary sports in 2011 about sending fake players abroad in 2011, and a fact finding committee was formed by the then secretary sports under the chairmanship of joint secretary sports Ghaffar Khan. After thorough investigation, the committee referred the case to FIA for registering FIR against them. The inquiry number 77/2011 is still pending with FIA, but instead of tacking stern action after a lapse of almost four years, same persons have started their dubious activities again with the active help of Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), as without their help, they can't even think about coming out of hiding.
“It is my humble request to the prime minister, interior minister, IPC minister, PSB DG and DG FIA that these fake people must be barred from representing the country, as they don’t have any badminton background and they could easily be beaten by a school going kid and comprehensive inquiry must be conducted against them. It is my challenge things will be crystal clear and the country will be safe from huge embracement if these persons will be banned and the genuine players will be sent,” he added.
Imtiaz said personal egos must not prevail over the country's interest. The event will start from April 25, and still there is time to take stern action against them and barred them from leaving the country for the event. “I have time and again visited the PSB and tried to seek their help to stop them from inflicting huge damages on genuine players and to provide opportunities to far superior ranked players. The PSB gave a very childish and lame excuse that they don’t seek NOC from us, so we can't stop them. The PSB always tries to create one or another hurdle for genuine federations which deprives genuine players to win medals for the country at international level,” Imtiaz added. “I met with Director General FIA on March 6, and he promised to complete the findings in one-month. When I met to Islamabad circle FIA director Inam Ghani, I was shocked to hear that the inquiry was closed. It is my humble request to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Interior Minister Ch Nisar and IPC Minister Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada to look into this matter of grave importance and order inquiry so that the country may be saved from further embracement in this particular sport,” Imtiaz concluded.