LAHORE:Lt Gen Qazi (retd) Muhammed Ikram was unanimously elected President of Pakistan Golf Federation for the next four year term on Wednesday.
A spokesman of the PGF said here that other elected office bearers are AVM Tariq Mehmood Ghazi SI(M), Vice President, Khurram Khan, Vice President, Brig Sajid Akram SI (M),(Retd), Secretary,Brig (retd) Zahid Hussain , Joint Secy and Brig (retd) Sohail Ishrat,Treasurer.
Present during the election process were representatives of all Provincial Golf Associations, including Baluchistan Golf Association(BGA), KPK Golf Association (KPGA), Federal Golf Association (FEGA), Sind Golf Association (SGA) and Punjab Golf Association (PGA).
Elected members of the executive committee are Lady members Ayesha Fouzan, Attiya Anjum, Ayesha Hamid, Humera Khalid. Other members are Capt Syed Asghar Ali Shah and Haji Muhammad Farooq (BGA), Wing Cdr (retd ) I.N.Khokher and Zahid P.Arbab (FEGA), Lt Col (retd) Syed Imtinan ul Hassan, Maj Arshed Mehmood(KPGA), Brig (retd) Sajid Akram, Hamid Zaman and Col Rustam Ali Chatta (PGA),Lt Col (retd) Zahid Iqbal, Cdre Ghazanfar Abbas and Brig (retd) Ahsan Mehmoo (SGA).
Muhammad Akhter from North and Imran Ali Khan from South were chosen to represent the professional golfers on the Executive Committee.
The outgoing President Lt Gen Muhammad Hilal Hussain HI (M) (Retd) shared that some of his initiatives were a roaring success. Major contributions were institution of Jinnah Development Tour to popularize the participation of new and junior professional players. Then there was the holding of Qualifying School(Q School) for all categories of players and its rotation in north and south of the country for ease of participation. Laying down of minimum prize money limit of Rupees Two million for an Open Golf match plus 0.25 million for juniors and 15 % of prize money for seniors.
Also managed was increase in capitation fees to get fiscal space required for routine functioning and new initiatives. As for international activity, junior and lady were sent abroad to participate in numerous tournaments and groom them in becoming better golfers. A team was sent to participate in Asian Games after a lapse of ten years. There was holding Asian and ADT matches at Karachi and Lahore and holding of PGF Ladies Amateur Match in which seven teams from abroad participated. Other activities included first time participation of ladies National Games of Pakistan at Peshawar, and now there are half a dozen level 3 and level 2 referees plus one lady referee.
A major achievement on the corporate front was getting PGF registered with FBR. This accrued PGF with legitimacy and savings. He also highlighted that shortcomings like fund raising was not as per desire and a few associations failed to conduct JDT, Open and Amateur matches and PGF was unable to train coaches or send them abroad due to exorbitant costs.
Lt Gen (retd) Qazi Muhammad Ikram the incoming President, assured the House that initiatives taken by his predecessor were nice and ensured that those initiatives will be pursued to achieve desired results.
He further committed that he and his team will do everything for promotion of golf which included application of collective wisdom and considered this assignment a huge challenge.