By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Adjudicator has taken decisive action in the ongoing administrative and financial dispute within the Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP), suspending three senior officials after hearing all parties and examining the record.

According to the written order, PSB-appointed Adjudicator Shakil Durrani directed the immediate suspension of CFP President Hanif Qureshi, Finance Secretary Raja Gauhar Iqbal, and General Secretary Omar Khan, holding them administratively responsible for the federation’s financial affairs.

The adjudicator ordered that the officials will remain suspended until the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) completes a comprehensive inquiry and issues final directions based on its findings. The decision followed detailed hearings and scrutiny of documents submitted by both sides in a dispute that has remained pending since 2023.

The order further stated that all bank and deposit accounts of the Chess Federation of Pakistan will remain frozen until a final decision is taken after completion of the audit. The AGP inquiry will determine whether any financial or administrative rules were violated and whether financial mismanagement occurred.

To ensure that chess activities in the country are not disrupted, the adjudicator directed the PSB to nominate an impartial CFP office bearer or a PSB official, on a case-to-case basis, to authorize the release of essential funds strictly for the federation’s core operational needs.

Additionally, the adjudicator ordered the withdrawal of services of an individual appointed against an unsanctioned position, terming the appointment irregular.