No PHF official ready to confirm meeting with PM

KARACHI: Only a few days are left before the meeting of PM Nawaz Sharif and the team that won silver medals in two big tournaments, but no official of the PHF confirmed that the meeting would be held on February 4 as per schedule.
PHF president Akhtar Rasool and secretary Rana Mujahid were not available despite several attempts. Informed sources said that Rana and some other officials were in Rawalpindi for COAS challenge cup hockey tournament although all arrangements were made by Pakistan Army Sports Directorate.
A source said there was no official word about meeting with the PM.
The meeting with the PM has been postponed twice.
PHF has no funds to continue the preparation process of national senior and junior hockey teams. The preparation tours of national hockey team to China and South Korea have already been postponed.
Besides, the training camps of both teams are to be held in February.
The players of national senior team are reluctant to continue their training because they have not been paid their salaries for one year and a half. Their contracts also have not been renewed.
The federal government has neither resolved the PHF’s financial issues nor taken action against those officials who are said to be involved in misuse of funds.
A large number of former hockey legends of Pakistan accuse the bosses of PHF of having spent funds on their own tours and other personal benefits in the last seven years.
Informed sources said that when the meeting had been postponed repeatedly, a PHF high official wrote to the federal government that if it had any reservation about misuse of the funds it can examine expenditure of the funds before releasing the money anew.
A source said that the present PHF management hoped it would not be found involved in any misuse. Meanwhile, it was learnt that Pakistan Army Sports Directorate did not give clearance to two hockey personalities for the COAS hockey championship sent by PHF.
One is stated to be an umpire and the other is a regional hockey official close to the PHF bosses. Arrogant attitude of a hockey official was also disliked during the COAS hockey tournament, sources said.