Shahbaz Senior denies report of resign as PHF secretary

LAHORE (92 News) – Shahbaz Ahmed Senior, the secretary general of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), on Sunday denied reports that he had resigned from his post a day after PHF President Khalid Sajjad Khokhar shared the news. Shahbaz Senior expressed astonishment over the reports, saying that he had learnt about his resignation through the media. “I haven't issued any resignation,” he said in a video message today. “Reports about my resignation are circulating on TV channels and newspapers but I don't know anything about it. If the people want that I should not have to work for the federation then won’t work.” he said. “A seat of PHF secretary is nothing for me and people know me due to my services for the team of Pakistan,” he added. Earlier in a video message, PHF president Khalid Sajjad Khokhar said that Shahbaz Senior could not give enough time to the federation due to his assignment with the PIA. Appreciating Shahbaz’s services for the PHF, Khokhar said: “He (Shahbaz) spent about three-and-a-half years with me and worked beyond his [mandated] capacity.” Bajwa – who had resigned from the post of PHF secretary in 2013 – will take charge of his office on Monday”, Khokhar said. Shahbaz had turned in his resignation in December last year as well after Pakistan’s dismal show at the hockey World Cup in India where they finished 11th. In his resignation, he had cited government’s alleged apathy towards hockey and said that there was no infrastructure for hockey in the country. He had further said that the PHF had no asset or a system in place for the generation of funds. The PHF had turned down his resignation, however.