PHF moves to get Rs82m special grant

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has made yet another move by sending a request to the government for a special grant of Rs82 million to run the federation’s affairs.

The fresh request was sent in the backdrop of recent move that saw the federation seeking help of Rs200 million from the caretaker government of Prime Minister Justice (r) Nasirul Mulk.The caretaker government had turned down that request in the wake of poor back-to-back performances by the national team.

The fresh request was forwarded by the PHF this month through Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC). “Yes, we have received a request from the federation for Rs82 million special grant for proper functioning of the federation,” an IPC ministry official, when approached, said.

He added that the request is pending with the ministry. “Gone are the days when the PHF used to get money without any performance or accountability. Now they have been told to furnish all the details of spending of heavy amount given by the federal and provincial governments during the last three years.

“After getting all the details from the federation we would be in a position to say anything final,” the official said.“How can we move ahead unless and until we know exactly as what has happened in the past? How much amount (normal and special) grant the federation has received during the last three years and where it had been spent.”

‘The News’ has learnt that move to get the grant had been initiated on the behest of PM Imran Khan’s Karachi-based special assistant. That PTI official is said to have closely associated with Pakistan team head coach Hasan Sardar.

“You cannot rule out Hasan Sardar taking over some important post in the PHF in coming days. If Hasan Sardar succeeds in helping out PHF through this PTI official, he may be elevated to some important post in days to come,” the source said.

Reports suggested that the PHF accounts during the last three years have seen over Rs750 million transactions.“The figures coming out of the PHF offices are staggering. Such a huge amount is enough to run the federation for ten years. Such a heavy amount has never been allocated to the federation within three years,” a former player, when contacted, said.

‘The News’ has learnt that a whopping amount of Rs600 million has been given to the PHF in shape of normal and special grants during the last three years. These grants came from federal and provincial governments. Rest of the amount was gathered through other sources.

“The government cannot afford any more special grants at a time when results are not coming. The PHF has been given everything they demanded during the last three years, still no positive change has been seen in the standard. Instead the team that was ranked sixth three to four years back is now struggling to maintain their 13th rank,” the official said.