PHF advised to contact all major hockey-playing nations

India’s conspiracy against Pakistan

KARACHI: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) should contact all leading countries playing hockey and inform them how India was using FIH to divide hockey fraternity.

India has blocked the participation of Pakistan in Junior World Cup, which is to be organised in Lucknow.

Former Olympians say the PHF should contact Argentina, Australia, Holland, Germany, Britain, Spain, Belgium, China, South Korea and Japan who play international hockey regularly and have weight in the affairs of FIH.

It is interesting to note that PHF had voted for India’s Narindar Batra for FIH president-ship and within a month India stabbed PHF in the back.

Despite trouble in Kashmir and tension on Line of Control, PHF was willing to send the junior team to India. The PHF did not even ask any special security for the team, but still the players and the officials were not given visas. 

Samiullah, former Pakistan captain, said that PHF should use the services of Pakistan’s former greats in hockey who had good relations with a number of renowned players of other countries. They can help Pakistan against India’s biased approach.

Samiullah said that a number of important hockey events were going to be held in India such as Asia Cup 2017 and World Cup 2018.

He said that an application could be filed in Court of Arbitration of Sport in Laussane, Switzerland, against FIH and India.

“How can they stop Pakistan’s participation in an international tournament despite its qualification? India did not invite our cricketers for IPL and they have not been playing bilateral cricket and hockey series with us for many years. Now they are stopping us in international tournaments. PHF must do something to stop this,” he said.

Pakistan was once considered a great force in world hockey, having won World Cup four times and Olympics thrice.

Olympian Qamar Zia termed PHF’s decision to boycott events in India correct and said it would expose India’s hypocrisy. PHF should challenge Indian Hockey Federation’s (IHF) steps against Pakistan at every level, he emphasised. “Otherwise we would have to suffer a lot in other international hockey events. India wants to isolate Pakistan in the hockey world,” he said.