The decision to hold elections was taken at an emergency meeting of the POA General Council at the Pearl Continental Hotel in Lahore.

The elections will be held through a secret ballot and not through a show of hands.

The POA was ordered to re-run elections by the Pakistan Supreme Court earlier this month after it ruled that the elections of February 2012 were almost entirely "null and void".

The Supreme Court of Pakistan upheld the October 2012 decision of the Lahore High Court, and ordered the POA to hold its elections within 75 days for all seats except that of the President.

At those elections in February 2012, Syed Arif Hasan was elected for a third term as POA President, while Khalid Mehmood and Mohammad Shafiq were elected secretary general and treasurer respectively. 

But several sports, including badminton, basketball, cycling and equestrian, were unable to vote because of legal disputes.

A petition protesting at the legality of the elections was lodged by Nadeem Sindhu, who had been in the running for the post of secretary general.

Syed Arif Hasan was elected for a third term as POA President in February 2012 and will see out his full time in office ©AFP/Getty Images



A stand-off ensued as the Pakistan Government opposed Hasan's appointment after they had backed rival Akram Sahi from the Athletics Federation of Pakistan.

That led to Sahi being put in charge of a Government-backed rival Olympic governing body - also backed by the Pakistan Sports Board, a Ministry of Education controlled agency which oversees all sport in the country - while Hasan remained in charge of the POA which was recognised by the International Olympic Committee.

The situation resulted in Pakistan being warned that unless a solution was found, they would be suspended from the IOC, putting its participation at this year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow into jeopardy.

Following a number of high-level meetings with the IOC and the Olympic Council of Asia, the Pakistani Government backed down in July and promised to recognise the POA, unfreeze its bank accounts and withdraw its threat to take over Olympic House in Lahore.

Speaking after the emergency meeting, Hasan confirmed "the House has approved the rules for the elections" which will be held for the remaining length of terms from the original elections in February 2012 - a period of around 15 months.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related Stories
October 2014: Supreme Court orders Pakistan Olympic Association to re-hold "null and void" 2012 elections
July 2014: Pakistan avoid Olympic suspension but warned by IOC situation is being monitored
July 2014: Pakistan Government decide to back IOC-sanctioned Olympic body in bid to avoid suspension before Glasgow 2014