Naveed asked to appear before PHF inquiry committee

ISLAMABAD: Naveed Alam Director Development has been asked to appear before the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) inquiry committee headed by Zahir Shah (president KP Hockey Association) on September 25 in Lahore to give his side of story on allegations and counter allegations which he keeps on levelling against federation officials.

The Committee that has been formed by the PHF president Brig (rtd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar has started its inquiry into recent media talks by PHF officials levelling serious allegations that brought bad name to already depleted federation. The committee also includes Lt Col (rtd) Mohammad Asif Khokhar (secretary Punjab Hockey Association), Maj (rtd) Javed Arshad Manj (Director Administration PHF) and Raja Ghazanfar Ali (office secretary PHF). The inquiry committee has been authorised to ascertain the truth into Director Development’s allegations and counter allegations and to judge whether he (Naveed) has been found guilty of any misconduct.

Meanwhile, Naveed has been asked to appear before the committee on September 25 at the PHF Headquarters in Lahore. In a media talk last week, Naveed levelled serious allegations against some of the PHF officials for working against the benefit of the game. Naveed Alam had appealed to the Prime Minister Imran Khan for intervening in order to save the national game. The PHF Director Game Development had appealed to the PM to hold free and fair inquiry into federation affairs.

“There are more hidden stories which are enough to rock the hockey fraternity. What happened during the last three years is enough to open every hockey lover eyes.” The verbal tussle between the two PHF officials has brought already depleted hockey to the brink.

The actual state of affair is totally other way around. Pakistan team performance has been at the lowest ebb in recent times. After putting up the worst ever performance in Champions Trophy where the team finished last, Pakistan finished all time low (7th) in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Then for the first time in 16 years, the national team has failed to win a medal in Asian Games. Pakistan even have failed to qualify for Youth Olympics where they won silver last time. Bangladesh and India are to represent Asia in Youth Olympics.

It that is not enough, the national team even have failed to win three-nation hockey also featuring minnows Japan and Oman. Japan defeated Pakistan twice in the tournament held in Oman to win the event. For the very first occasion in the history of Pakistan hockey, the team has failed to beat arch rivals India in seven matches in running. In fact Pakistan lost six out of seven matches against India with seventh ending up in draw.