Pakistan Hockey Federation offers to organise hockey event itself
Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) offered to hold a hockey event itself in a bid to resolve the ongoing stress among the sports circles regarding the exclusion of National Sport of Pakistan from upcoming National Games.
Pakistan Hockey Federation asked the organisers of the event, the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and Sports Board to reconsider their decision. It further said that if POA could not organize the game then Pakistan Hockey Federation itself can make the
arrangements in this regard.
The 31st National Games of Pakistan are going to kick off on December 25 in various cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including provincial metropolis, Peshawar. The situation became more severe after the decision of Pakistan Olympic Association regarding the
exclusion of National Sport, Hockey along with other disciplines from the event. Pakistan Hockey Federation staged acute protest over the decision and asked the organizers of the event to review their decision.
President of the Provincial Olympic Association of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Syed Aqil Shah explaining the situation said that it was the Committee of Pakistan Olympic Association which took the decision regarding the omission of the National Sport from the National
Gala.
Clarifying the position of provincial body, he further said that the Olympic committee is comprised of representatives of all sports units.
Shah, the also Patron of Organising Committee of Games maintained that the POA is organising these games and that is the only body which can take decision regarding inclusion or exclusion of any game, however this was decided with the consent of all stake
holders, he added. Describing the reasons for this change, Syed Aqil Shah said that the funding and security concerns were main reasons behind the decision. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is capable to host as many as forty games in the event, he stated.
Meanwhile, an official of Sports Ministry stated that the decision to axe the hockey from National Games was taken due to security concerns as the event has already eighteen months late. He further said that they are not fully satisfied with the security
arrangements of the event, thus the outdoor sports including hockey are excluded from the event.
Secretary Pakistan Hockey Federation Asif Bajwa, who is also confused at the situation, said that they have written to Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and Sport Board asking them to review their decision. He stated that they recorded their protest before
the POA and Sports Board in this regard. “This decision is completely mind-boggling and impracticable”, he added.
Bajwa criticising the role of Pakistan Olympic Association said that the PHF itself can arrange the tournament saying that they had dispatched a letter to association in this regard. He opined that the event can be shifted to some other safe places in case
of security concerns. He urged that Hockey is National Game of Pakistan, thus it should be a part of the National Event.
Another official of Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) held that the chances for the inclusion of Hockey in the National Games are bleak due to increasing incidents of terrorism in Peshawar.
He clarified that since this game is an outdoor sport, so it would be difficult to provide security to players and spectators in the grounds. Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is mainly target list of militants as suicide attacks are
routine matters in the city.
However, he affirmed that the association is considering to include the National Sport in the National Games and Hockey may be shifted to Abbot Abad.
Chairman, Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), Arif Hasan after receiving a letter of PHF said that they would reconsider the recommendations of federation for shifting some parts of event to other cities or venue. He explained that they would have to take
all the stake holders into confidence in this regard and expressed hope that things would be cleared within couple of weeks.
Tags: