Asif Bajwa hopes for revival of Pak-India bi-lateral hockey series
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has expressed hopes in revival of the Pak-India bilateral hockey series by the end of this year, which was delayed owing to diplomatic and political unrest between the two neighbouring arch-rivals.
After the cricket semi-final between the two countries held on March 30, 2011 at Mohali, the tensions between the two arch-rivals have eased.
Prime Ministers of the two countries, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani and Manmohan Singh, held a one-on-one meeting during the semi-final match and agreed to revitalise the sports activities between the two neighbours.
It is vital to mention here that a three-match series was scheduled to be held between the Asian giants at a neutral venue in the first quarter of the year. However, it was postponed for a indefinite time due to exacerbating spat between Indian Hockey Federation
(IHF) and Hockey India (HI) besides some political issues.
Asif Bajwa, while talking to the media said that they were working seriously to normalise the sport relationships with India and to reorganise the bilateral series against them at the neutral venue. Narinder Batra, the Secretary General of Hockey India,
is in contact with him and hopefully soon the matters in this regards would be finalised, he maintained.
The both Secretaries discussed all the matters pertaining to the hockey tournament. The bilateral series will be played between the junior and senior squads and schedule in this regards would be made public after final approvals from the respective governments
regarding security clearance, he continued.
Bajwa stated that the relationships between Pakistan and India were improving after the ICC World Cup Semi-final played between the two teams last month.
The PFH Secretary was of the opinion that the two federations, Hockey India and the PHF, should have close communication to continue their efforts to develop the sport in the region. He further stated that the two countries were former champions and ruled
the sport in the world. They would have to build up a mechanism with collective efforts and regular series if they wanted to regain the past glory of the sub-continent giants.
Regarding the people from the two sides, he expressed that they should promote the national games. In his views, the crazy supporters of sports were essential for the revival of hockey in this region.
The hockey teams of Pakistan and India are likely to face each other in the upcoming Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Cup starting from May 05, 2011 in Malaysia. The bilateral series will assist the both squads to upgrade their fitness level prior to the mega events
including 2011 Champions Trophy, which is to be played in the last month of this year and next year’s 2012 London Olympics.
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