Karachi basketball at crossroads as rival factions clash
KARACHI: Karachi’s basketball scene is at a crossroads, with parallel tournaments being played amid an ongoing scrutiny process for club registrations. While the Commissioner Basketball Girls and Boys Tournament took place earlier at Arambagh Court, another event — organised under the Pakistan Basketball Federation Scrutiny Committee — is currently underway at different venues, aiming to finalise club registrations.
The Karachi Basketball Championship, led by scrutiny committee head Ashfaq Ahmed, has seen 24 clubs submit their documents for participation. The tournament is set to conclude at the end of February.
“All matches will be witnessed by the scrutiny committee, which will assess performances and determine which clubs are eligible for registration,” Mohammad Yaqoob Qadri, associate secretary of the Pakistan Basketball Federation, told Dawn.
The first phase, held at the Hill Park Basketball Court, featured nine clubs: Nixor Club, Hill Park Club, PECHS Club, Sharks Club, Karachi Youth Club, Paracha Club, Rising Star Club, United Club, and Credo Club.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner Cup, held earlier, showcased a different set of teams.
In the boys’ event, Arambagh Club emerged victorious among teams like SJAS Red, SJAS Blue, Bahria Supers, BCP Gulshan Chapter, Civil Tigers, Karachi Colts, Usman Club, Titans Club and Eagle Club. In the 13-team girls’ tournament, BCP College PECHS claimed the title.
DIVIDED LANDSCAPE
While some view the scrutiny process as a step toward transparency, others believe it is deepening divisions in Karachi’s basketball landscape. Ghulam Mohammad, Director Sports of Commissioner Karachi, is among those raising concerns.
“There should be basketball tournaments held in Karachi no matter who organises them,” he told Dawn. “But all players should be given equal opportunities.”
According to him, the scrutiny process is not as inclusive as it should be as “some players are being ignored”.
His concerns stem from previous events, particularly the National Women’s Basketball Championship in December 2024, where Karachi finished fourth, with Wapda emerging as champions.
“I don’t think our best team participated in the national championship,” added the former Karachi Basketball Association president, who was ousted by the PBBF due to misconduct. “The trials were ill-organised, and some players informed us that they were notified too late about the event.”
He also stressed that basketball decisions for Karachi should be taken by those who understand the grassroots of the sport in the city.
“I am blessed with a team that knows all the ins and outs of basketball in Karachi, like Zahid Malik and Zafar Iqbal Choudhary, both of whom represented Pakistan internationally. It also has two former captains, Tanveer and Azam.”
KEY ISSUES
Ghulam highlighted that most of the clubs playing in the Commissioner Cup were already affiliated with the KBBA and questioned why the scrutiny process was being imposed now. He also emphasised the need to address key issues in Karachi basketball, such as the absence of a Sindh Basketball Association.
On the other side of the debate, Yaqoob, former acting president of the KBBA, defended the scrutiny process, emphasising its necessity to ensure legitimate club affiliations.
He also warned that clubs choosing not to participate in the scrutiny tournament would not be affiliated with KBBA.
An important question that arises is what happens to players who participated in earlier tournaments like the Commissioner Cup and Kashmir Cup while the scrutiny process is ongoing. According to Yaqoob, these players are being misguided by Ghulam.
“Despite knowing about the scrutiny committee event, he didn’t keep us in the loop regarding these tournaments,” Yaqoob claimed, clarifying that those players who miss the scrutiny tournament will only be registered if they do not play in any parallel tournament in the future.
He further revealed that multiple attempts were made to communicate with Ghulam.
PARALLEL BODY?
Ghulam, a former PBBF vice president, stated that his only goal is to support basketball and not form a parallel organisation, vowing he will not “take up any role in the PBBF” while emphasising the need to resolve disputes.
“It’s my request to the committee — whatever differences you have, put them aside and help basketball grow,” he pleaded.
He also mentioned that if the KBBA continues to be sidelined, they would seek intervention from the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA).
While Ghulam expressed his desire to resolve disputes with the federation and the scrutiny committee, Yaqoob dismissed his claims, stating that an attempt had already been made.
“Ghulam contacted scrutiny committee chairman Ashfaq Ahmed and asked to have a discussion at a hotel,” Yaqoob revealed. “But on the day of the meeting, Ghulam didn’t show up.”
CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE
Amid this administrative tug-of-war, players like Hamza Khwaja and Ans Azhar are struggling to make sense of their place in the sport they love.
Hamza, who played for Usman Club in the Commissioner Cup, admits he doesn’t fully understand the scrutiny process or its implications.
“I knew about it, but the message wasn’t conveyed clearly,” Hamza, who also plays for Maverick Club, told Dawn.
Hamza’s disillusionment reflects a growing sentiment among young players who see basketball as more than just a game. “I only play for recreation now,” said Hamza, who played in two national championships.
For Ans Azhar, a 15-year basketball veteran from Omega Club, the scrutiny process represents a step toward accountability.
“For years, things weren’t heading in the right direction,” the 31-year-old told Dawn. “The clubs were frustrated with the federation, which is why we even launched the ‘League of Basketball’ to hold competitive events ourselves.”
While Hamza and Ans have long abandoned their dreams of making it to the very top of the game, the future for the next generation of players from the city hinges on whether the stakeholders can bridge their differences or allow the divide to deepen.
Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2025