PHF chiefs assemble today to revive hockey

KARACHI: The hockey chiefs of Pakistan will assemble here on Thursday (today) and meet the top officials of some big corporate entities to get support for the revival of the national game in the country, ‘The News’ learnt on Wednesday.

The other purpose of the visit of PHF president Brig (Rtd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar and secretary Olympian Shahbaz Ahmad is to review the preparation for the 62nd national championship.

The two will meet officials of a large commercial bank as well as the chairman of an industrial zone in order to secure some financial support for the game which is fast losing its appeal in the country.

The preparation for the national championship is in full swing at Hockey Club of Pakistan (HCP). Olympian Qamar Ibrahim is the director of the championship and Olympian Kamran Ashraf the chief coordinator. 

The sources said that Khokhar and Shahbaz would be briefed by the HCP administration about the progress of the blue turf project and other development work carried out at HCP.

The championship will be held at the newly laid blue turf from December 25 to January 10.

According to the HCP management, 95 percent of the work on the blue turf project has been completed and lines marking on the turf is being carried out.

It may be noted here that an RO plant is also being installed at HCP to prevent water shortage. There are three wells at HCP but all have brackish water which could damage the blue turf.

Thus, PHF high-ups decided to install a RO plant.

Olympian Kamran, who is monitoring both projects, told ‘The News’ that the blue turf project was nearing completion. “Within one or two days the lines marking will be completed. The RO plant room has also been completed and machines of the plant will be installed in a few days,” he said.

Olympian Qamar said that preparation for the championship was in full swing and that departments’ teams would stay at hotels on their own. The regional teams and technical officials of the championship would stay at HCP rooms, he added.

He further said that a coaching clinic and an umpires’ workshop will be held during the first five days of the championship at HCP.

The sources said that HCP management would brief the PHF president and secretary about the possibility of organising seven matches under floodlights. The PHF has planned that the quarter-finals, the semi-finals and the final would be played under floodlights.

HCP director Iftikhar Syed has said that floodlights are operational and maintenance work is being carried out. The HCP administration is hopeful that it would be able to organise a few matches under floodlights.