Another postponement
The long overdue Gymkhana Club Lahore Committee of Management (COM) elections have been postponed for the second time this year. The first postponement came after the resignation of one of the members of the election commission forced the election date to be pushed forward from 25th of January 2017 to 8th of February 2017.
A plaint of a club member, Aslam Chaudhry, has resulted in a stay order being issued by a civil court that has postponed the elections further to 7th of March, 2017. The petitioner contended that the current management had granted out of turn memberships and delayed elections twice as two members of the election commission resigned.
The second postponement has forced a long time member of the club, Qamar Khan Bobby (contesting said elections for membership of COM), to write to all members and highlight the issues. In his letter dated 8th of February 2017 to all members (copy of which is available with Pakistan Today) he highlights how the incumbent COM headed by Chairman Misbahur Rehman has been at the helm for more than three years. “…mandate by the worthy members was given for one year but stretched to three years on frivolous, flimsy and technical grounds” Qamar wrote in his letter.
Referring to the performance of the COM Qamar writes “Needless to even mention that the lacklustre performance of the outgoing COM has caused not only frustration but has also resulted in deterioration in the affairs and services of the club”.
The letter did not sit well with the COM that met on the same day as the letter was circulated and sent Qamar Khan a show cause notice (copy of which is available with Pakistan Today) stating that “the language used in your letter under reference and false allegations levelled therein against the Club Management are regarded as prejudicial to the interest of the club”. The letter gives Qamar until 10th of February, 2017 to reply as to why his membership should not be terminated.
In his reply Qamar has expressed how unfair it is to demand a reply within two days of his letter. Nonetheless he maintains in his reply that by writing to the members he has not violated any bye-laws or Article of Association of the club.
With regards to the detrimental effect of the show cause notice he writes in reply “The said show cause notice is inherently mala fide and meant to harm me in the forthcoming election of Lahore Gymkhana as a candidate for member of Management Committee”.
Qamar maintains that he reserves every right to as a candidate to inform member of the club about the performance of the outgoing COM and expose those candidates he is contesting against as having “a history of clinging to power and being self-seekers”.
He has accused the COM of acting vindictively against him and clarifies in the letter that his current submission is tentative and he reserves the right to add to the contentions in his reply as and when appropriate. He asks the COM to withdraw their “misconceived and malicious show cause notice”.
