PHF to support all coaches, organisers

KARACHI: PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed Sr has said that those running hockey academies and organising events at local level would be patronised any discrimination.

“Serving the national game is our obligation. It is our duty to support them for the promotion of hockey,” he said while talking to ‘The News’.

He said that instead of establishing new academies it would be better to strengthen those who are sincere and committed to the game and have already been working.

The PHF secretary said that a comprehensive plan is under discussion at the top level of PHF. “We are discussing how we can utilise those hockey academies and coaching clubs and nurseries,” he said.

He said that hockey academies are being run in various parts of the country. “These organisers and coaches have been neglected owing to some differences with some of the officials of PHF, but the current management does not have any bias. If someone can provide any type of service for hockey at local and regional level, PHF will support him,” Shahbaz promised. The former captain said that making decisions on the basis of personal likes and dislikes had hurt the game in the past.

He said that PHF top leadership would visit all parts of the country and meet the local officials and organisers to seek their suggestions for the promotion of the game.

Meanwhile, PHF president Brig (rtd) Khalid Khokhar, Shahbaz and chief coach of junior team Tahir Zaman visited the residence of captain Asfand Yar Bukhari and paid tribute to him during their meeting with his father Dr Bukhari.

They offered fateha for the departed soul and laid a floral wreath at his grave.

Khokhar told Dr Bukhari that PHF would organise All Pakistan captain Asfand Yar Bukhari Shaheed hockey tournament and the tournament would be included in the PHF domestic hockey calendar. The details of the tournament would be announced later.

Asfand Yar was a good hockey player and represented Punjab in under-19 tournaments. He also represented Army in domestic hockey.