PHF secretary welcomes decision to allow sports activities

KARACHI: PHF secretary Olympian Asif Bajwa has welcomed the federal government’s decision to allow sports activities from August 10.

While talking to ‘The News’ on Thursday, he said that the sports lovers across the country were desperately waiting for the green signal of the authorities for opening sports complexes, gymnasiums and playing grounds.

The PHF secretary said that PHF is ready to start its activities. He said that a 5-a-side tournament would be the first domestic hockey event after the lockdown and soon the PHF would announce its details.

He mentioned that all sports activities were stopped in the country in March due to the coronavirus, the hockey players across the country were out of action and out of practice. Thus, an appropriate time would be given to provincial and departmental teams to get ready for the tournament, which is likely to be held in August-September period.

He said that PHF would soon finalise schedules of Pakistan senior and junior teams’ training camps.

He added that Karachi, Lahore, and Gojra were under consideration for hosting the 5-a-side tournament. The final decision would be taken in the next meetings of PHF, he said.

The head coach of Pakistan senior hockey team Khwaja Junaid also hailed the federal government’s decision to allow sports activities in the country.

He said that the players were keenly waiting for this decision and were desperate to participate in competitions at open fields.

He said that those senior and junior probables who were part of the PHF’s home-based training programme would find it easty to get into rhythm.

It has to be mentioned that around 40 probable players of Pakistan senior and junior teams were engaged in the home-based training programme of PHF during the lockdown.