Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) controversial secretary general Shahbaz Ahmed Senior on Monday, as usual, gave a lame excuse that lack of proper facilities for national players was responsible for poor performance at international level. Briefing the Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC), Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan, here at the Parliament House, Shahbaz emphasised the need of meaningful encouragement and backing by the government and concerned quarters to help the game regain its lost charm and glow. The PHF secretary said there were only four to five cities where proper hockey was being played. “We are doing maximum efforts for the promotion of women and men’s hockey at the grassroots level.” He boasted that Pakistan finished third in the recently concluded Under-18 Junior Asia Cup Hockey Tournament which, he added, was a ‘great achievement.’ IPC Minister Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, also present in the briefing, was of the view the PHF should be made independent for the betterment of the game. The Chairman IPC Committee was also informed that the blue astro-turf was another big issue for players on which the modern hockey was being played and Pakistan players were not used to it.