Various posts lying vacant in PHF

KARACHI: At least seven top slots of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) are lying vacant and a number of people are eyeing these posts but are unaware of how the federation plans to deal with this matter.
Three coaches of national senior team, Olympian Nasir Ali, Sameer Hussain and Shafqat were excluded from the Belgium touring party and their posts are lying vacant. It is not known whether PHF would appoint new ones or retain them for future assignments.
The differences between chief coach of junior team Manzoorul Hasan and PHF have also reached point of no return due to which the team’s training schedule has remained suspended for past several weeks.
The team had been preparing for Junior Hockey World Cup 2016. Its tour to Holland next month has been postponed due to financial crisis, sources said.
The junior team also has three positions for assistant coaches.
The PHF has not officially removed Manzoor as yet.
It is pertinent to mention that two people close to PHF addressed a press conference a couple of months ago and criticised Manzoor.
A member of national selection committee Arshad Chaudhary died this month and his post is also vacant.
The sources said that many things would become clear when federal government’s audit committee report was finalised and competent authorities would take some final decision about the financial position of PHF.
The sources said that after completing the qualifying rounds of Rio Olympics team in Belgium this week, the PHF president Akhtar Rasool and secretary Rana Mujahid would return home and decide the fate the vacant posts.
Akhtar has failed to bring funds for PHF despite being a PML-N man. The federal government is instead conducting audit of PHF’s accounts of previous years.
The sources said that whatever successes have been achieved recently by the team came due to the return of Islahuddin and Shahnaz Sheikh-led group of Olympians. Pakistan won two silver medals in six months, including in Champions Trophy.
They are still fighting for qualification for the Rio Olympics.
Akhtar played an important role in the reconciliation with the group of former Olympians as he accommodated Islahuddin, Shahnaz, Manzoor, Ayaz Mehmood and a few other old guards in different capacities.