ISLAMABAD: In a scathing response to the Pakistan Hockey Federation’s decision to send back a 60-member strong Khyber Pakhtunkhwa contingent (three teams) from National Under-16 Hockey Championship in Khairpur, the KPK Hockey Association blamed the PHF for running the game by denying youngsters of the area a chance to showcase their talent at the national level. Saeed Khan (chairman of KPK Hockey Association and Senior Vice President of PHF), Zahir Shah (secretary KPK association) in a press conference held in Peshawar Wednesday and later talking to ‘The News’ appealed to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who is also patron of the PHF, to help KPKHA get justice. “Following the months of efforts that included organising junior inter-district championship and later KPK junior hockey trials that were participated by no less than 250 players, we have selected 60 Under-16 players for the national event under way in Khairpur (Sindh). “The KPKHA hired special buses to take teams and officials to Sindh where they reached in time and attended managers’ meeting. All the players went through the scrutiny process. When our teams were preparing for the matches, our officials were asked to pack their bags as the PHF led by PHF secretary Shahbaz Senior did not want KPK teams in the competition. Ramzan Jamali, secretary Sindh Hockey Association, refused to honour KPK teams, saying that he had strict orders from the PHF not to allow KPK teams compete in the event,” Zahir said. He said while talking to ‘The News’ from Peshawar that junior players were deprived of their right to compete in the championship. “Whatever politics the PHF is playing, players who have a genuine case should be kept out of it. Pakistan hockey has been dragged to the lowest ever standard. Genuine players and officials are being discouraged. How could these talented KPK players would continue to pursue the game as the PHF is not willing to give them their due right.” The KPKHA secretary said that dummy team that is representing KPK in the championship has nothing to do with the province. “The team is a mixture of the players selected from other provinces.” Zahir, who was also accompanied by players and their parents, said that they were planning to stage a protest because they will knock every door to get justice.Later Zahir blamed the PHF for withdrawing Rs240 million cash from the PHF’s kitty. “I have got all the details of cash withdrawal which is a serious offense according to the PHF’s constitution. “No one is allowed to withdraw cash. The payment according to the constitution can only be withdrawn through cross-cheques. When the payment is more that Rs500,000, signatures of the PHF president are a must. I have also got the details where signatures of the PHF president are missing.” Zahir added that on March 1, 2017 a cheque (00000501) worth Rs1.5 million was encashed from the PHF’s account and was submitted in an account of Askri Bank. Whose account is this? He gave details of almost 20 cheques with proofs which, he said, were withdrawn with a single signature and were encashed against the laid down PHF’s rules. The KPK Hockey Association secretary challenged the PHF regarding the facts available with him.“I have got all the details of the PHF’s accounts. If I am wrong and there is any other story to what I have said the PHF has got all the right to take me to the court of law. In fact the case is already under proceedings in the Peshawar High Court where the PHF has yet to furnish details and are adopting delaying tactics.” Our correspondent adds from Peshawar: The office-bearers of the KPKHA alleged financial mismanagement in the PHF and asked the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to sack its president and secretary. They also expressed their disappointment over the treatment meted out to the KPK teams in the Under-16 National Hockey Championship in Khairpur.Speaking at a press conference, KPKHA secretary Zahir Shah accused PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed Senior of misappropriating the federation’s funds. He said the government provided Rs460 million funds to the PHF during the last two years, saying that Rs220 million were withdrawn without completing the necessary process. He said Shahbaz withdrew over Rs3.3 million on October 7, 2017 and from another PHF account a close associate of Shahbaz had withdrew Rs235,500 on October 21, 2017. Showing the copies of the withdrawals to media, he claimed that he had proofs to prove his claims. He said that over Rs116.5 million had been withdrawn from the PHF account in just five months from November 2016 to March 2017.He said the KPKHA had brought these anomalies into the notice of PHF but to no avail. He added that neither a meeting of the PHF Congress nor any provincial or district or Senior Hockey Championship was organised during the past two years.He also questioned the selection of the national team, saying that mismanagement and corruption were the major reasons behind decline of hockey in the country.
