ISLAMABAD: Officials of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) must be heaving a sigh of relief in that the Ministry of Inter-provincial Coordination (IPC) and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) on Thursday decided to provide funds to the country’s hockey governing body for the upcoming tours of Europe and Korea.

The decision to this effect was taken here at the 80th meeting of the PSB executive committee which was attended among others by IPC secretary Ejaz Chaudhary, PSB directory general technical Akhtar Ganjera, Pakistan Athletic Federation president retired General Akram Sahi, squash federation secretary Amir Nawaz and Rana Mujahid.

IPC Minister Riaz Hussain Prizada told reporters after presiding over the meeting of the executive committee that the meeting unanimously agreed that the PHF should be provided with funds in order to help it send the national team to Korea and Belgium for playing Olympic qualifying round.

“Actually, we have asked the PHF to send their proposal and after getting it I would take up the matter with the government for releasing immediate funds for the national team,” said the IPC minister who, however, didn’t clarify as to how much fund the government will release for the cash-strapped PHF.

The minister said that the Pakistan Olympian Association (POA) will also help the PHF in connection with the expenses to be incurred on the upcoming important tours.

Earlier, PHF secretary Rana Mujahid requested the IPC minister during the meeting to ask the government for at least Rs35 million for the Europe tour.

“If we are not provided with the required funds we won’t be able to participate in the qualifying rounds for the upcoming Olympics,” Rana Mujahid said while talking to Dawn.

The PHF secretary, however, expressed satisfaction with the IPC minister’s assurance.

Meanwhile, the IPC minister said that the executive committee also approved Rs1 million for tennis player Sara Mahboob and Rs500,000 for the Pakistan Tennis Federation in connection with the upcoming Davis Cup.

Although the former national ladies champion Sara succeeded in getting Rs1 million from the government, she did not represent Pakistan in the Fed Cup despite the fact that she promised to be available for the event.

On the other hand, Aamir Atlas Khan who was promised a plot by the prime minister is still waiting for his turn.

Commenting on these two issues, the IPC minister said that the PSB would give Rs1 million to Sara but she would also be asked to submit a surety bound guaranteeing that she would represent Pakistan whenever she would be asked to represent the country.

Talking about the promised plot for the squash player Aamir, the minster stated that Aamir should also be given a plot soon.

Also, the executive committee approved new cash award policy besides approving summary of several contractual employees for making their jobs permanent.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2015

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