Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Friday said its prime target was to qualify for the next World Cup and the Olympic Games. Speaking to media at the inauguration of the National Women’s Hockey Championship at the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium, PHF president Khalid Sajjad Khokhar said the national federation was disappointed for not qualifying for the Rio Olympics. “But now old mistakes will not be repeated. I am grateful to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, for taking personal interest in the national game. We won’t let even a single penny to get wasted from the grant we get from the government,” he added.

He said former Olympians should come forward and play their role for the revival of the game. Speaking about the Pakistan Hockey League, he said the PHF and the government were very serious for this league to happen and very soon an NOC would be granted. On the occasion, Shahbaz Ahmed Senior, PHF secretary general, said he could feel the pain of the players for not qualifying for the Olympics as it was an honour to participate in the Olympic Games. He said besides training the seniors efforts were also being made to promote junior players.