Since his re-election for a third term as President in February 2012 - which was opposed by the Government who backed rival Akram Sahi - there has been parallel Olympic governing bodies operating in Pakistan.

But the Pakistan Government, under Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, backed down last week and confirmed that they would back the Arif Hasan-led POA. 

This included unfreezing the POA's bank accounts and withdrawing a threat to take over Olympic House in Lahore. 

The Government's decision to back down followed a meeting here last month with the IOC, including its autonomy tsar Patrick Hickey, where they were warned they faced suspension if the situation was not cleared-up before the meeting of the Executive Board, which is currently taking place here.

That could have jeopardised Pakistan's participation at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow later this month. 

The Pakistan Olympic Association, led by President Syed Arif Hasan, has avoided suspension from the Olympics after the country's Government decided to stop interfering in its running ©POA

That threat has now been lifted, at least temporarily.

"The Executive Board took note with great satisfaction of the very positive developments pertaining to the Pakistan Olympic Association and appreciates all the efforts made by the Pakistani Government to resolve the situation in which the autonomy of the POA and the Olympic Movement in Pakistan had been seriously jeopardised," the IOC said in a statement today. 

"The IOC will, however, continue to monitor the situation in Pakistan very closely to ensure in particular that the POA will quickly and effectively be reinstated in its office and be able to operate as normal."

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