LAHORE: The patience of Pakistan’s national hockey players has worn thin due to the non-payment of their dues, with players expressing serious dissatisfaction with the conduct of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF).
According to sources, national team players have begun openly discussing their frustration with the PHF. The team captain and senior players, worried about their future, are now considering their next course of action.
During internal conversations, the players accused the PHF of dishonesty and misleading them, stating that the federation has now even stopped responding to their concerns.
“The federation has always misled us and kept us in the dark. Now, they don’t even bother to reply, which is unacceptable,” said the players.
The players also complained that there is currently no one in the federation who is willing to listen to their grievances or address their concerns.
“We need someone who at least responds to us and listens. We’ve always been assured of receiving our daily allowances, but those promises have never been fulfilled,” the players added.
Pakistan team captain Imad Butt has assured the players that he will work to resolve the matter soon.
“The players have been treated unfairly, and I will bring everything to light,” he told them.
It is pertinent to mention that just last week, reports emerged that players of the Pakistan hockey team who won a silver medal at the Nations Hockey Cup in Malaysia, have not received their daily allowances.
Sources revealed that each player is owed approximately PKR 500,000 in unpaid daily allowances.
They also stated that there has been no progress on resolving the matter and that PHF officials have stopped responding altogether.
According to sources, international daily allowances were not paid during the FIH Nations Cup, which has caused growing frustration among players. The continued silence from the federation has only added to their anger.
Furthermore, the players have also not received allowances for the training camps held in two phases in Islamabad.
Sources noted that players are entitled to PKR 30,000 per day for international duties and PKR 3,000 per day for domestic activities.
Sohail Imran is a senior reporter for Geo News.
