ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is unlikely to get any financial or administrative support from the government and the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) following its refusal to cooperate with the four-member committee formed to judge its performance and finalise a roadmap to free and fair elections of the federation.
The PHF has recently approached the PSB to issue the NOC and necessary financial assistance to participate in the Junior Asia Cup starting in Oman from May 23. It is, however, unlikely that the PSB or Ministry for IPC would come forward and help out the federation following its recent refusal to cooperate with the government.
“We have sent several letters to the PHF asking them to cooperate with the prime minister’s formed committee in an effort to resolve the pending issues confronting the game. Before the committee’s meeting on May 9, the PSB sent letters to de-notified PHF to furnish all the details on its recent performance and the expenditures on the game-related activities nationally and internationally. The PHF refused to share any details about its activities or performance, saying that since the federation has been already de-affiliated, how the government could make it answerable.”
The PSB official said how the federation can demand NOC or any financial assistance from the government if it is not willing to cooperate. “This committee which is headed by the DG PSB and included three former Olympians of repute is constituted under the direct orders of the prime minister, who under the federation’s constitution holds all the powers. How a federation could refuse to cooperate with it? We have taken serious note of this non-cooperation. On top of that the PHF has requested for NOC and financial assistance knowing well that they have already declined to extend any cooperation. But more to it, the ministry is currently considering different options as to what should now be the best way forward over PHF non-cooperation.”
The official revealed that as of today, the PSB has no intentions to issue any NOC or financial assistance to the de-notified federation. “Our position is very clear now. We are not going to issue any NOC to the PHF to participate in Asia Cup neither we will extend any financial support to the PHF.”
‘The News’ has learnt that any instructions from the top could change the PSB’s stand but the federation may not even require NOC or financial assistance to take a trip abroad as most of the federations are doing these days.
All the efforts to contact Haider Hussain went fruitless. In a recent talk with The News, PHF Secretary Haider was hopeful of the team’s participation in the Asia Cup. The teams involved in the Junior Asia Hockey Cup have been divided into two pools. Pool A includes Pakistan, India, Japan, Thailand, and Chinese Thailand, while Pool B includes Korea, Malaysia, Oman, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan. Pakistan will play its first match against Chinese Taipei on May 23, Thailand on May 24, India on May 27, and Japan on May 29.
