RISJA suspends leaders amid allegations; elects new office-bearers

The Rawalpindi Islamabad Sports Journalists Association (RISJA) convened an emergency general body meeting Monday, presided over by Abbas Shabbir, to address pressing concerns within the association. The gathering drew an impressive turnout of members eager to discuss recent developments.

Under the single-point agenda, the assembly deliberated on the alleged constitutional violations and financial irregularities attributed to former chairman Abdul Mohi Shah and member Afzal Javed. In a unanimous decision, both Shah and Javed were immediately suspended from their respective positions. Furthermore, the leadership role of RISJA's chairman faced suspension and subsequent termination, securing the unanimous approval of the attendees.

To ensure transparency and accountability, the meeting resolved to establish an inquiry committee responsible for auditing and reviewing the funds disbursed by the Pakistan Sports Board and other associated federations. The committee comprises distinguished individuals, including Mohsin Ejaz, Faheem Akhtar Malik, and Maria Rajput. The findings of this committee will guide the association's final decision regarding the alleged financial discrepancies.

Significant changes in RISJA's leadership also transpired during this consequential meeting. Mohsin Ejaz emerged as the new President, supported by Kashif Abbasi as Secretary, Arif Mehmood as Senior Vice President, Maria Rajput overseeing the Finance portfolio, and Muhammad Hussain assuming the role of Information Secretary.

The respnses given by Abdul Mohi Shah and Afzal Javed were met with firm rejection by the assembly, with both individuals being declared guilty. The matter now rests with the aforementioned committee, which will chart the path forward.

Prominent personalities from the sports journalism arena graced the meeting with their presence, including Arif Mehmood Khan, Rana Abid Mustafa, Ayaz Akbar, Zahid Yaqub Khawaja, Nasir Naqvi, Abbas Shabbir, Mari Rajput, Kashif Abbasi, Mohsin Ejaz, Hafiz Obaidul Rehman, Rana Tanveer, Javed Khan, Muhammad Usman, Nadeem Faisal Bega, Naveed Khokhar, Asghar Ali Mubarak, Rizwan Ghalzai, Allah Noor, Zubair Ali Khan, Faheem Akhtar Malik, Dr. Faisal Shahzad Sahi, and Raja Sohail Mehmood.