ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has approved a Rs50 million grant to the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) — a move which will ensure four foreign tours for the national senior and junior teams.

According to a letter available with Dawn, the Prime Minister gave his consent for the grant on Tuesday and directed the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to immediately release the amount to the PHF.

The letter also gave a breakdown of the funding with Rs8 million allocated for the Under-18 team camp in Islamabad and its subsequent participation in September’s U-18 Asia Cup in Bangladesh.

The premier, also the PHF patron-in-chief, has awarded Rs16 million for the senior team’s camp and participation in the Fourth Asian Champions Trophy to be staged in Malaysia in October.

A further Rs10 million have been given to the Under-21 team for its camp and participation in a four-nation tournament in Germ­any, for which it left on Monday.

The Under-21 team has also been given Rs16 million for its camp and an upcoming tour of Europe which will see them tour France, Spain and Belgium in August.

The letter from the Prime Minister Office, which was addressed to the Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination, added: “This grant-in-aid of Rs 50 million shall be provided to the PHF immediately in a single tranche from out of the funds allocated to the PSB, Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination, in the budget for financial year 2016-17.”

PSB director-general Dr Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera told Dawn on Wednesday that the funds will be handed over to the PHF after completing some formalities.

“The federal government is extending full support to the PHF in order to uplift the standard of the national game,” Ganjera said.

PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed Senior, however, was unaware of this development.

“If the government has released the fund, it’s a big development since we need this funding for upcoming camps and tours,” he told Dawn.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2016