ISLAMABAD — The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has drawn praise from stakeholders and observers in the sports community for its recent institutional reforms aimed at restoring transparency and fairness across national sports federations. In line with directives issued in 2022, the PSB has established a dedicated Election Commission, formulated Election Regulations, and set up an independent Panel of Adjudicators, a critical step toward curbing the rising menace of fake sports federations, illegally conducted elections, and unlawfully appointed officials.
These moves have come amid a growing demand for structural reform, following persistent reports of funds mismanagement, opaque internal practices, and unchecked parallel setups within various federations. The PSB has also taken bold steps to enforce national audits, compelling federations to disclose financial records, a long-overdue measure to promote fiscal accountability and clean governance in Pakistan’s sports ecosystem.
One of the most controversial cases currently under scrutiny is the February 10, 2024, election of the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), which has been marred by credible allegations of constitutional violations and procedural manipulation.
According to reports, the International Lawn Tennis Club (ILTC), an entity that had defaulted on dues for five years and was effectively expelled from the PTF, cast a decisive vote in the election. That vote, cast via an unauthorized proxy rather than a legitimate office-bearer, played a critical role in the formation of the current PTF cabinet.
The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) was notably absent from the election process of the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) held on February 10, 2024. In fact, the PSB had strongly advised delaying the elections until a formal Election Commission was established and operational under its newly approved constitutional framework. This recommendation was rooted in efforts to standardize election procedures across all national sports federations to ensure transparency, fairness, and legal compliance. Despite this clear directive, the PTF proceeded unilaterally, raising serious questions about the legitimacy and integrity of the electoral process. Even the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), mandated to observe and ensure fairness in such elections, was not given access to the election process and was let in after the voting concluded. The POA officer submitted all the unusual incidents in his official report. These happenings further raised red flags about the credibility and impartiality of the election.
In response, a legal challenge was filed in the Islamabad High Court (W.P. 1105/2024) by Lt. Col (Retd.) Muhammad Asif Dar. The petitioner argued that the PTF elections were held in violation of both PSB directives and prior judicial orders. However, the Hon’ble Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani disposed of the petition, advising that any grievance related to the electoral process must be brought before the Pakistan Sports Board, which now has the legal and procedural mechanisms to hear such disputes.
In light of the facts and judicial directives, stakeholders in the tennis community are now calling upon the Pakistan Sports Board, its Election Commission, and the Panel of Adjudicators to investigate the illegal vote and procedural flaws in the February 2024 PTF elections. There is a strong and growing demand to nullify the flawed election and to hold fresh elections under the transparent supervision of the Pakistan Sports Board, the Pakistan Olympic Association, and all relevant stakeholders.
With Pakistan’s international sports performance under scrutiny, especially in tennis, ensuring merit-based, lawfully conducted elections is essential for rebuilding public trust and producing real results on the field.
The writer is recepient of Presidential Pride of Performance Award, Ex-Davis Cup Player, Ex-National Champion and recepient of the ITF’s Davis Cup Commitment Award.
By Hameedul Haq
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
