KARACHI: Brisk preparations are afoot for staging the 28th National Women’s Hockey Championship which pushes off at Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium on March 26.

According to the details, twelve teams will be seen in action during the 10-day competition which is being held under the aegis of Sindh Women’s Hockey Association (SWHA).

“The event returns to the city after a year and will be staged in a befitting way,” former legislator Ms Khushbakht Shujat, who has been re-elected Pakistan Women’s Hockey Association (PWHA) president besides heading the provincial body of the game, told Dawn on Saturday.

According to her, hosts Sindh will field two teams so does Punjab while other outfits include Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Army, Wapda, Railways and HEC.

One day trials to pick the Sindh teams will be held at the HCP Stadium on March 19 followed by a short training camp.

To a query, she said boarding and lodging arrangements will be made at the HCP hostel. Apart from training, eminent people including former Olympians and doctors will give lectures on nutrition, exercises etc to the players during the camp, she added.

The PWHA chief sounded optimistic when asked about the budget, saying she has took it as a challenge and will raise the required funds which amounts to approximately Rs2.5 million through sponsorships.

She added that the PHF which was supposed to share half of the financial burden has regretted due to financial constraints.

Khushbakht recalled that on the instructions of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, the then Sindh Minister for Industries, Rauf Siddiqui, helped in providing employments to seven local women’s hockey players.

“I hope to carry out the noble cause of arranging jobs for deserving players by using my good offices this time also,” she added.