AIPS ASIA Congress 2017 Islamabad. Sattam Alsahli of Kuwait elected president Pakistan’s Amjad Aziz Malik elected secretary general
By.Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD-The Pakistan Sports Writers Federation (PSWF) in collaboration with Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage hosted the AIPS ASIA extraordinary Congress 2017 at Islamabad. Elections for the AIPS Asia Executive Committee were held on the second day of the 20th AIPS Asia Extraordinary Congress held at the Serena Hotel in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad.
Sattam Alsahli of Kuwait was elected as president for the first time while Pakistan’s Amjad Aziz Malik was voted in as secretary general for the second time. Hee Deon Jung of South Korea was elected as the first vice president for the first time.
The Election Committee approved by the Congress included Abdolhamid Hamidi (Iran), Hishan Welmilla (Sri Lanka) and Bashir Senan (Yemen).
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: Three candidates
Hee Don Jung from Korea; Amjad Aziz Malik from Pakistan; Sattam Alsahli from Kuwait
Mr Hee Don Jung and Amjad Aziz Malik withdrew in favour of Sattam Alsahli of Kuwait who was thus elected unopposed.
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT: Four candidates
Ahmed Khawari from Malaysia; Raymond Chui Chan Fai from Hong Kong; Hee Deon Jung from Korea; Maisam Zamanabadi from Iran
The remaining three withdrew in favour of Hee Deon Jung of Korea, who was thus elected unopposed.
VICE PRESIDENT: 10 candidates for five seats
As Sattam Alsahli of Kuwait was already elected president his candidature was void leaving nine candidates.
Ibrahim Osouki (Lebanon) withdrew in favour of the Saudi & Qatari candidates, leaving eight candidates remaining.
Ahmad Khawari (Malaysia); Chiu Chan Fai (Hong Kong); Maisam Zamanabadi (Iran); Mohammad Hiji (Qatar); Mohammad Hassan Alshaikh (Saudi Arabia); Saba Nayakan (India); Tu Xiadong (China); Otgonbaatar Chultem (Mongolia).
VOTING done for the five seats among the remaining eight candidates:
Votes Polled:
Ahmad Khawari (24 votes), Chiu Chan Fai (5), Maisam Zamanabadi (22), Mohammad Hiji (20), Mohammad Hassan Alshaikh (19), Saba Nayakan (20), Tu Xiadong (8), Otgonbaatar Chultem (1).
ELECTED: Five Vice Presidents : Ahmad Khawari (Malaysia), Maisam Zamanabadi (Iran), Saba Nayakan (India), Mohammad Hiji (Qatar), Hassan Alshaikh (Saudi Arabia)
SECRETARY GENERAL: Two candidates:
Amjad Aziz Malik (Pakistan) and Hussein Alian (Palestine)
Hussain Alian withdrew in favour of Amjad Aziz Malik
Amjad Aziz Malik was elected unopposed.
TREASURER: Two Candidates
Abeer Ali (Syria) and Niranjan Rajbanshi (Nepal)
25 Votes Polled:
Niranjan Rajbansh (Nepal) 18 votes and Abeer Ali (Syria) 7 votes
Niranjan Rajbanshi (Nepal) was elected
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: 12 Candidates for eight seats
Yemeni candidate Mansoor Ali Mohammed Aldubai withdrew leaving 11 candidates.
Sayer Zaland (Afghanistan); Shinsuke Kobayashi (Japan); Ayad Qasim Subhi (Iraq); Chi Kam Fong (Macau), Ahmad bin Saif (Oman); Ibrahim Dsouki (Lebanon); Hai Luc Chi (Chinese Taipei); Iyad Naser (Syria); Otgonbaatar Chultem (Mongolia); Tu Xiadong (China), Hasan Ullah Khan Rana (Bangladesh).
Voters Polled:
Ahmad bin Saif (22 votes), Ayad Qasim Subhi (23,) Otgonbaatar Chultem (6), Hasan Ullah Khan Rana (1), Hai Luc Chi (24), Ibrahim Dsouki (22), Iyad Naser (4), Chi Kam Fong (24), Sayer Zaland (20) Shinsuke Kobayashi (25,) Tu Xiadong (25).
ELECTED: Tu Xiadong (China), Shinsuke Kobayashi (Japan), Hai Luc Chi (Chinese Taipei), Sayer Zaland (Afghanistan), Ayad Qasim Subhi (Iraq), Ahmad bin Saif (Oman), Ibrahim Dsouki (Lebanon), Chi Kam Fong (Macau)
The AIPS ASIA Congress constituted a five-member committee comprising Salim Al Habsi of Oman, Saba Nayakan of India, Attef Rashid of Jordan, Rashid Nasar of Lebanon and Mustafa Mamun of Bangladesh. The PSWF president Amjad Aziz Malik, who was executive committee member elected AIPS ASIA secretary. This was the first time in the history, that Pakistan host AIPS ASIA election congress of the body. The delegates from 30 member countries, while AIPS President Gianni Merlo, first vice president East Yilmaer and Hungarian Sports Journalists Association vice president Dr Zsuzsa also grace the occasion. Earlier the Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzaib while addressing the participants welcomed the hosting of the Extraordinary AIPS Asia Congress that will gather journalists from across the Asian continent in Pakistan. “Pakistanis are a sports loving nation and our sportsmen have won laurels for the country in different disciplines of sports and even reigned the world in Squash, Hockey and Cricket to name a few,” Marriyum Aurangzaib said. “I feel extremely privileged and pleased in extending the cooperation of Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage to the Pakistan Sports Writers Federation of Pakistan for organizing this Congress being attended by a galaxy of sports writers from across Asia,” she said.“Unfortunately due to the burgeoning terrorism in the country during the last decades, the international teams have been hesitating to visit Pakistan.”“The holding of the AIPS ASIA Congress-2017 immediately after the visit of the World Cricket Eleven indicates and reinforces Pakistan’s image as a peaceful and sports loving country”, she observed.
Marriyum Aurangzaib said that the Sports Writers Federation of Pakistan deserves unqualified accolades for its commendable initiative to organize this high profile event in Pakistan.
“Sports are an indispensable national activity that are considered a catalyst to learning human traits like discipline, team work, tolerance, perseverance, sangfroid, sacrifice and national outlook which strengthen the social fiber and national unity; the ingredients which are sine quo non for socio-economic progress of a country,” she said.
“The Sports Writers of any country,” she added, “are a special breed of journalists who play a significant role in projecting soft image of their respective countries besides acting as their ambassadors at large.”“Through their writings not only spotlight the talent in different domains of sports but also help in developing close sports links with other countries; a contribution which is highly valued and respected.“I am sanguine that the distinguished sports writers gathering in Islamabad would have a pleasant stay in Islamabad and while enjoying its healthy and attractive environs would have enough time at their disposal to deliberate on issues relating to fostering sporting links between Pakistan and their respective countries as well as forging a productive partnership with the sports writers associations and federations for the mutually beneficial enterprise”, the Minister of state remarked.
Marriyum Aurangzaib also expressed the confidence that they would go back to their countries with happy memories and the impression of a peaceful Pakistan ingrained in their minds. The congress, she added, will prove a great success as far as its objectives are concerned and a milestone in the efforts to full-fledged revival of international sports in Pakistan.
Mrs. Marriyum Aurangzaib said that it should be a matter of great pleasure for all in Pakistan that due to the visionary steps initiated by the former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, the scourge of terrorism has been checked in its tracks and law and order and security situation in the country has improved considerably, paving the way for the return of international sports to Pakistan.
“Zimbabwe was the first team to visit Pakistan from 19-31 May in 2015 for three one-day internationals and two T-20 matches, after 2009 while the World XI assembled by ICC comprising players from seven test playing nations toured Pakistan from 12-15 September 2017 to play three T-20 matches against Pakistan”, she added proudly. More over President of Pakistan, Mr. Mamnoon Hussain has welcomed the hosting of AIPS ASIA Extraordinary Congress 2017 in Islamabad and said that the moot reflects keen interest of the organizers to translate their ideas of promoting sports journalism and seeking a way forward to generate opportunities for sports journalists to further strengthen their professional capabilities. While congratulating the Pakistan Sports Writers Federation for being host of the moot taking place from 5th to 8th of this month, he has also expressed the confidence that the delegates during their stay will be able to enjoy the pleasant atmosphere, rich cultural heritage and experience the real taste of cultural and civic life at sports arenas of Pakistan. The complete text of the message is given below:
“I am pleased to learn that Pakistan Sports Writers Federation in collaboration with Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage is organizing the Asian Sports Journalists Congress-2017 at Islamabad and on the occasion a brochure is being brought out to showcase the importance of this significant event. The organizers and the departments concerned deserve commendation for hosting this event to deliberate on further development of the field of sports journalism.
This moot reflects keen interest of the organizers to translate their ideas of promoting sports journalism and seeking a way forward to generate opportunities for sports journalists to further strengthen their professional capabilities. I hope that the event will prove to be an effective forum for the decision makers of this continental body of sports journalists for giving practical shape to the desires of their electorates. The delegates will have the opportunity to explore new possibilities to contribute towards a more effective professional role for sports journalists and to give new impetus to sports journalism.
This is the first time that Asian Sports Journalists Congress is taking place in Pakistan which will be quite informative and attractive for our sports lovers. Although over the period sports activities have been playing a tremendous role in enabling the people from different cultural, civic and geographical backgrounds to understand each other yet it is the writers who by acting as spokespersons give factual position and project real image of the performance of players and their respective nations.
It is heartening to note that Pakistan has always been in the limelight with regard to various sports activities particularly in the arenas of cricket, squash, hockey and other games. The people of Pakistan especially the youth are great lovers of sports and such events will further inculcate a spirit of healthy sports as well as encourage them to pursue sports activities so that they are able to contribute positively in the development of the country. The Congress will also serve to attract and induce the youth towards the challenging and noble field of sports journalism. The services of sports journalists deserve appreciation because of their role in promoting healthy norms and values by projecting the true picture on ground.”
