Hockey clubs’ activities hit hard by ground fee hike

ISLAMABAD: The government’s ongoing efforts to revive Pakistan’s national sport, hockey, have taken a major hit as the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) sharply increased usage charges for the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium -- shifting its focus from athletes’ development to revenue generation.

According to details, the PSB has raised the daily usage fee of the stadium in Islamabad from Rs1,500 to Rs5,700 -- a staggering hike of nearly 300% affecting registered hockey clubs in the federal capital.

In response, the affiliated clubs under the Islamabad Hockey Association (IHA) have written a letter to the Advisor to Prime Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Rana Sanaullah and IPC Secretary Mohyuddin Wani, urging them to intervene and reverse the increase. They warned that the steep fee poses a serious financial burden on young players and grassroots training programs.

The clubs emphasized that this move directly contradicts the government’s declared commitment, especially by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, IPC Minister Sanaullah, and Secretary Mohyuddin Wani to promote and revive hockey at the grassroots level.

“The Rising Stars Hockey Club along with other clubs, have been actively promoting hockey by offering free training sessions for schools and colleges boys and girls over the past several years,” Club letter to the high-ups says.

The club stressed that such initiatives are crucial for youth development and for rebuilding Pakistan’s legacy in international hockey. “The youth are the future of Pakistan,” the letter stated, “and engaging them in structured, healthy activities like hockey is essential not just for personal growth but also for restoring the sport’s national pride.”

The letter concluded with a plea for immediate action, stressing that easing the financial burden on local clubs is key to sustaining the momentum for a national hockey revival. In response to the queries raised by local clubs over the recent increase in ground charges, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) says that increase in charges was formally approved during the 33rd Board Meeting of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) held on March 26, 2025. “These revised rates came into effect from March 28, 2025,” PSB says.