KARACHI: Despite the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF)’s complaints about lack of funds for hockey activities and players, the federation’s top officials reached Birmingham to meet the national squad.
The match between Pakistan and South Asia ended in a draw in the first contest of the Commonwealth Games 2022.
The team is already out of Hockey World Cup which is scheduled to take place next year in India and is facing difficulties to save the lost pride due to dirty politics in the PHF.
Meanwhile, PHF’s president Khalid Sajjad Khokhar alongside chief selector Olympian Manzoor Jr visited to meet the squad.
Senior sports journalist/anchor, Yahya Hussaini raised questions about Khokhar’s visit to the UK despite the economic crisis in the federation.
Moreover, another senior sports journalist Sohail Imran claimed that Manzoor replaced Kaleemullah as chief selector just to enjoy UK’s trip.
Earlier this month, Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) de-notified PHF’s high officials, including Khokhar. But later on, Khokhar managed to regain presidentship in an ad-hoc committee appointed by PSB to hold elections within 30 days.
PHF announced elections dates between August 5 to 20, however, hockey experts believe that these elections will be just “selection”.
On the other hand, PHF has failed to inquire about the reason behind the Asia Cup 2022 blunder that cost Pakistan, Hockey World Cup 2023’s spot.
According to the details, the then-team manager Khawaja Junaid was unaware of the FIH rule due to which a goal of Pakistan was disqualified against Japan. Pakistan not only lost that match 3-2 but was also ruled out of World Cup after India beat Indonesia by 16-0.
The blame game started in the PHF thereafter, ending up with a committee being formed to inquire about the matter. A three-member inquiry committee headed by Olympian Kaleemullah included Olympian Nasir Ali and the president of KPK Hockey Association, Zahir Shah.
This dummy committee was just made to sideline this matter as manager Junaid resigned from his post immediately after Asia Cup followed by PHF’s secretary Asif Bajwa’s reported forced resignation earlier this month.
Currently, Karachi Hockey Association (KHA)’s secretary Haider Hussain is an interim secretary general of PHF.
Haider is popular among the hockey fraternity for his work to uplift the national game in Karachi.
However, his stay seems to not last longer as Khokhar’s return to the country from the UK will further decide the future of PHF.
