NA body wants PHF’s inclusion in PSB board

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) has strongly recommended the Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) inclusion as a permanent member in the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) governing board and also stressed on the government to give due weightage to the game at all forums.

NA Committee Chairman Agha Hassan Baloch expressed his surprise over the omission of the national sports from the PSB governing board that includes the non-existing federations like football and athletics.

“The PHF should be a permanent part of the PSB board. Hockey is not only our national sport, it has brought countless laurels for the country and thus deserved a permanent place in the board,” Agha Hassan said.

The NA committee also recommended to the government to ensure systematic support for the PHF. “All necessary legislation to this effect should be carried out to ensure that the game of hockey gets its due.”

PTI MNA from Faisalabad Nawab Sher was critical of the Ministry of IPC for not supporting hockey in real terms. “I am surprised and shocked that the game is being sidelined and ignored. Hockey is our national sports and as such required our full support. Our prime minister was a sports legend and was known around the world for his cricketing prowess. We must promote the cause of sportsmen and try to help them get their due,” he said.

MNA Mohammad Ibrahim Khan called on the government to provide jobs to the hockey players. “Departments must start hiring hockey players as for them financial cover matters. The ministry should ensure timely release of grants to the federations. Hockey is one sport that is totally dependent on the government and as such it must ensure that the game is well looked after.”

PHF Secretary Asif Bajwa briefed the committee on federation’s activities for earning and spending. “Unlike Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) which gets over Rs2 billion annually and sometimes even more from the ICC, the PHF is totally dependent on the government for grant. With no domestic sponsorship, we look entirely towards the government. Hockey team’s one trip to a foreign country cost the federation around Rs25 million.

“You need to play 25 to 30 matches in order to prepare your team for an international event. Unless and until we restart playing international matches and touring abroad, we can’t re-grow as a hockey nation. With the meager resources, we can’t take such tours,” Bajwa said.

Bajwa said the federation wanted to have four to five tiers of national outfits. “All leading nations in Europe have different age group teams. Even these nations have less than 10 years of age group teams. Here we just have two junior and a senior team as we can’t afford more than that. We need a total revolution in hockey for the game’s revival.”

National team head coach Khawaja Junaid also spoke on the occasion saying that the game required real investment. “Hockey has become professional in all respects. Goalkeeper kits, players’ shoes and even playing surfaces required real investment.”

The NA committee did not take up the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) employees’ salary and perks and privileges item as the mover of the question Dr Mahreen Razzak Bhutto could not attend the meeting. MNA from Karachi Iqbal Mohammad Ali Khan, who is considered as a vocal critic of PCB, also missed the meeting.

It was decided that the next in-camera meeting on the PCB affairs would be held in Lahore.