ISLAMABAD (AP) — A Pakistan Olympic Association committee reiterated its demand on Saturday that Syed Arif Hasan step down as POA president, rejecting the chance to enter new negotiations despite the wishes of the IOC.

POA interim committee secretary Rana Mujahid said Hasan's re-election as president last year for a third time violates a government sports policy which limits office holders to two terms.

Mujahid told The Associated Press that nothing less than a new election "is acceptable to at least 20 sports federations of POA."

The interim committee has the backing of the government, but the IOC asked Hasan on Friday in Lausanne, Switzerland, to find a solution by starting talks.

"There's no point in forming dialogue with someone who is not acceptable to us," said Mujahid, a former field hockey Olympian.

About 20 sports federations formed their own interim committee within the POA and, with the support of the government, called for a new vote on Tuesday by forming a three-member election commission comprising of retired judges.

"We have requested the election commission to announce the schedule of the fresh elections of the POA within a month," Mujahid said.

The interim committee also claimed that it has the backing of at least four powerful federations within the POA — the Olympic sports of field hockey, tennis, athletics and rifle shooting.

The gulf between Hasan and the government widened last year, endangering Pakistan's hopes of competing at the London Olympics.

The IOC eventually allowed Pakistan more time to resolve the issue. The differences have grown in recent months, however, culminating in the formation of the interim committee — headed by the president of the Pakistan Basketball Federation, Asif Bajwa.