(Sports Journalist & International Hockey Commentator) Our national hockey team is practicing in Abdul Sattar Hockey Stadium to go to participate in the Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament being held in Ipoh, Malaysia from November 1 to November 10. In addition to the host Malaysia, teams from Pakistan, Japan, Korea, South Africa and Canada are participating in the tournament. Earlier, the main Indian team that participated in this tournament is not participating in this edition due to some reasons.  

Former Olympian Saeed Khan is the manager of the team, while the coaching panel includes Sagfried Ekman (Head Coach), Ayaz Mehmood, Usman Sheikh, Imran Butt, Muhammad Ali Khan, Rana Zubair as coaches. Moreover, Rana Sanaullah as a physical trainer and Abuzar Umrao as video analyst. In the camp that has been going on since September 25th, not only the players who have shown the essence of their outstanding skills in the Chief of Army Staff Hockey Tournament, but also the players who have impressed with their performance in the 2nd All-Pakistan Chief Minister Balochistan Hockey Gold Cup have also been included. It should be noted that earlier, 32 players were invited to the camp starting from September 25, while 22 players reported to the camp.  

Shakeel Butt and penalty corner expert Mubasher Ali sent their resignations to the Pakistan Hockey Federation, but rest of the players who did not participate in the camp indicated that the camp would be rejuvenated soon. It should be noted that the players who did not participate in the camp included those who had participated in the Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham, England a few months ago, but they had not reached Pakistan yet.

It is important that the Pakistan Hockey Team has the honor of winning the Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament and it is also important that due to some reasons in the past they missed out on it. Pakistan is one of the few hockey teams in the world which has been successful in winning the  tournament of the Olympic World Cup Champions Trophy, Asian Games and other Tournaments, but unfortunately, it was the last time in 1994 to win major tournaments like the World Cup and the Champions Trophy.  

Since then, our performance graph has started to gradually go downwards. Meanwhile, some officials of the Hockey Federation were allegedly accused of corruption, but so far these allegations could not be proved legally. In early 90's when the institutions were being privatized, in the name of privatization various banks even institutions like PIA and Customs also terminated their teams. It should be remembered that especially PIA and Customs are the organizations that once played an important role for the development of hockey.

But then the jobs and careers ended, naturally the youngsters drifted away from hockey, later it came to the point that the national team had to miss out on overseas tournaments due to lack of funds. At the same time, the Pakistan Hockey Federation itself became indebted to the players of its own national team. Regardless, it is encouraging that the current federation has set an encouraging example by paying the players dues of crores of rupees over the years ahead of the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament camp.

Certainly the credit goes to the present President of Pakistan Hockey Federation Brigadier Khalid Sajjad Khokhar and Secretary Syed Haider Hussain. But on the other hand, as of writing, the government of Pakistan had stopped the Pakistan Hockey Federation from participating in the Azlan Shah Hockey Cup, in this regard, the Pakistan Sports Board had refused to issue the NOC to the current PHF.  

The letter also said not to participate in any kind of event till the arrival of the constituted committee regarding hockey. In this regard, it was also being said that neither the Pakistan Sports Board nor the relevant ministry had allowed the PHF elections to be held, while the national and provincial level elections had been prohibited. It was also said that the PHF President is not elected by election but by the nomination of the Prime Minister.

Thus, it is not according to the rules. In such a situation, according to some information received from sources in Islamabad and Lahore, an ad-hoc may be imposed on the Pakistan Hockey Federation, which will be for 6 months and this committee will hold elections. All these situations have their own place but at this time the national sports of hockey needs to be supported.

In such a situation, there should be no compromise on the tour of the national hockey team to the Malaysia and the participation in the tournament. Politics and elections have their own place but it must also be in the national interest to take into account the development of hockey.

Published in The Daily National Courier, October, 15 2022

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