KARACHI: The Karachi Basketball Association (KBBA) has defended the recent elections, deemed illegal by the scrutiny committee, citing affiliation with the Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBBF) as the basis for their legitimacy on Friday. “The clubs that participated in the Karachi elections are affiliated with the PBBF and have been granted voting rights by the PBBF. Therefore, these elections are entirely legal,” KBBA secretary Zahid Malik said in a statement. The controversy surrounding the elections began when Ashfaq Ahmed, chairman of the KBBA scrutiny committee, declared the polls illegal, citing serious irregularities. Ashfaq had vowed to take legal action against the organisers. The scrutiny committee was formed by the PBBF after the suspension of former KBBA president Ghulam Muhammad Khan in May 2024 due to disciplinary and administrative irregularities. Ghulam had accepted his mistakes and tendered an apology, recommending senior vice president Mohammad Yaqoob as his interim successor. Zahid’s statement comes as the KBBA prepares to host several tournaments, including the 5th Inverex Trophy Tournament, scheduled to take place from Jan 6 to 13. A one-day girls’ basketball tournament, the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Trophy, will also be held on Jan 11.