Daily Times

LAHORE: Ayub Bhaa, one of the most dedicated hockey organisers of Pakistan passed away last week, just two days before his 83rd birthday, in his native Khushab. Hockey remained his passion throughout. He organised a number of hockey events in Khushab including the All Pakistan Khushab Gold Cup for around 35 years which remained a part of the Pakistan Hockey Federation’s annual calendar. It was participated by all the top domestic teams. Ayub Bhaa was a member of the PHF’s working committee from 1982-86. Later, he remained a member of the PHF’s congress from 1986-1990. He also toured Malaysia, Zimbabwe and Kenya with the Pakistan teams as the associate manager. Through his efforts, the national teams of Holland, India, Poland and Kenya touring Pakistan, played matches at Khushab/Sargodha against the regional sides. Pakistan’s victorious teams of the 1982 and 1994 World Cups visited Khushab during their country-wide tours. Ayub Bhaa’s services to Pakistan’s national game especially in his own area endeared him to local people so much that he was elected as the Khushab’s tehsil nazim as well as the chairman municipality. His death has been widely condoled by the hockey circles of the country.