LAHORE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is likely to take a decision on the report about Pakistan hockey team’s declining performance before he leaves for Saudi Arabia to spend last few days of Ramazan there.

The report is prepared by a probe committee of the Inter-provincial Ministry after Pakistan hockey team failed to qualify for next year’s Olympics for the first time after finishing eight in the qualifying round, which concluded recently in Antwerp, Belgium.

The probe committee discussed the issue of Belgium debacle with head coach Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh and captain Mohammad Imran, while IPC secretary Ijaz Chaudhry, who is the convener of the committee, held separate discussions with PHF president Akhtar Rasool and secretary Rana Mujahid.

Sources said former PHF president Zafarullah Jamali, who is also an ex-prime minister of Pakistan, was active in forming the probe committee and his chances of becoming the next PHF president were bright as the prime minister had asked him to help him in sorting out the hockey crisis.

The IPC is also in favour of Jamali as it believes the prime minister is not happy with the performance of Akhtar Rasool.

In this scenario, the main hurdle in the way of Jamali to become the next PHF president is his age. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has set the age limit of 70 for heads of hockey associations while Jamali is 71.

There are reports the IPC is still trying to find a solution for Jamali’s induction. But for that, it has to challenge the writ of the FIH.

The IPC had previously tried to go against the rules of International Olympic Committee in the case of Pakistan Olympic Association but it had to make a U-turn in order to avoid IOC’s suspension.

The prime minister has to find out a solution if he does not go with Akhtar Rasool and Jamali.

A weak choice for the prime minister is Brig Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, who has no prominent contribution in hockey but he is a close relative to federal minister Ahsan Iqbal.

Khokhar had even tried to contest the elections for Pakistan Tennis Federation’s president but withdrew himself when another political icon Saleem Saifullah Khan came in the contest. He also had a short stint with the national hockey team as manager in Gen Mohammad Aziz Khan’s tenure as PHF president.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2015

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