KP hockey grounds wait for lockdown to end: Zahir

ISLAMABAD: Hockey has never died in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Even the toughest of days the game has faced in the country has seen the province buzzing with activities.

When Pakistan failed to make it to the Rio Olympics in 2016 on the heels of their absence from the World Cup in Holland in 2014, hockey slummed dipped to new low in the country. No youngster was willing to take the game seriously and instead started preferring other games with cricket being top of all other sports. Even in that era of uncertainty, the action never stopped in KP. With Peshawar being the hub of hockey activities, youngsters kept on pursuing the game more in a hope that good days were just around the corner. There hopes and aspirations were backed and supported by two icons of the game in the region-Zahir Shah who now is the president of the KP Hockey Association and former IG Police Saeed Khan who has selfless love for the game and was often seen devoting time, energy and financial support to the deserving players.

Even in days of his active association with the police force, he usually was seen turning up at grounds, supporting players in their effort to raise competitive outfits for different age group national events.

Zahir Shah possibly has sacrificed his entire life to the game and it was his influence and unprecedented interest in the game that kept the activities intact in the province and in the capital city of Peshawar. Over 100 hockey players in different age groups were still busy playing the game in Peshawar when the Covid-19 hit the world. Under tight instruction of KP Government all activities came down to standstill for the very first time.

“Hockey activities never stopped in Peshawar. Even in days of terrorists activities our players kept pursuing the game. I have spent all my life on grounds and hardly a day had passed when I missed going to ground either to watch matches or to monitor training or practice. Even in the toughest of days when except from parts of Karachi everywhere clubs stopped playing the game we kept these activities running without any break.

However, for the first time we are now facing a position where not only we were forced to stop on field training, we are uncertain as when we really will be in a position to restart the outdoor hockey. As a president of KPK hockey I have already instructed all to keep following KP government orders and prefer staying at home. Whatever training and exercise they can manage, they have been told to do these while staying at home.”

Zahir Shah admitted the majority of these hockey players had been perusing the game professionally and had no other source of income but to look for generating these through such activities. “Now when the action stops, these definitely need financial backing at least enabling them to at look after their bread and butter. This is my promise that I would not let them look for any outside financial help. KPK hockey with the help of their well-wishers would make all the arrangements to look after deserving players necessities of life during this lock down period. I am keeping a close contact with those who need KPK hockey support and they would not be let down. These players are our asset. They are the one who keep hockey field busy with activities and as such need support in this hour of need.”

Zahir Shah called on all sports administrators to look after players and related support staff. “There well-being is your responsibility. It is a testing time and we must come forward to help them and do whatever we could to keep them look after themselves.”