LAHORE: Sport Board Punjab (SBP) on Tuesday offered the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to invite foreign teams to Pakistan with SBP director general promising to bear all related expenditures besides providing top-level security to visiting teams.

The offer was made by SBP Director General Usman Anwar on the occasion of visiting the National Hockey Stadium where training camp of the Pakistan squad has been in progress for the upcoming tour of Australia as part of preparations for the Rio Olympics qualifying round.

“The security situation has improved a lot in the country and now Pakistan is in a perfect state to host big events like Hockey World Cup. I will like to ask the PHF to invite foreign teams without any hesitation as the government will bear all expenditures in addition to providing top-level security to participating teams,” remarked the SBP director general.

PHF secretary Rana Mujahid, head coach Shahnaz Sheikh and all coaching staff among others were present on the occasion.

The SBP director general said that the government of Punjab under the leadership of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was taking effective measures for the promotion of hockey and other games. “The national hockey players have already been awarded cash prizes and the SBP will continue to support national stars in future as well,” he commented while stating that the government will provide sufficient funds to the national hockey team to make foreign visits including one for Olympic qualifiers in Belgium.

The cash-strapped PHF has been in dire need of funds to make both ends meet with the federal government suspending its financial help for the last two years. The government has reservations over the PHF’s errant financial conduct particularly from 2008 to 2012 when Qasim Zia ruled the roost at the PHF during the PPP government.

Though now the PHF chief, himself an ex-Olympian, belongs to the PML-N, the ruling party is yet to show willingness in connection with releasing funds to the country’s hockey governing body despite several requests made by the PHF officials to the PHF patron who happens to be premier Nawaz Sharif.

With the national team’s performance showing some improvements in 2014 by earning two silver medals having participated in two big events, the PHF is yet to send the team in any international event.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2015

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