KARACHI: The president of the Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) Dr Junaid Ali Shah has vowed to revive the old culture of the game with the help of all stakeholders.

“I’ll ensure that the game is revived at the grassroots level and the grounds are filled with youths every evening,” Dr Shah, who chaired a meeting of former Olympians, internationals and organisers at his residence on Tuesday, told Dawn.

He called upon all the stakeholders to sink their differences and work together for the uplift of the national game in the city.

Dr Junaid has succeeded London-based leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Wasay Jalil in a no-confidence meeting that took place in the city recently.

It was his first meeting with people related to the game after coming at the helm of affairs. “The purpose of the meeting was to invite all well-wishers at one table for the betterment of the game,” he said.

He went on to say that Irshad Haider, who is join secretary of the KHA, will formally take acting charge of acting secretary from incumbent secretary Farooq Khan on Wednesday.

He disclosed that two other joint secretaries of the KHA — Qadeer Ahmed and Talat Mahmood — voted for Irshad Haider.

Dr Junaid, whose AO Clinic was one of the sponsors of the Quaid-i-Azam Gold Cup hockey tournament organinised by the Customs last year, said KHA constitution will also be revised as it is registered under 1913 Indian Company’s act.

Junaid’s father Dr Mohammad Ali Shah has created a facility for the game in North Nazimabad which is equipped with astro turf and run by former Olympian Islahuddin.

The meeting that lasted for about two-and-a-half hours was attended among others by former players Islahuddin Siddiqui, Samiullah, Waseem Feroz, Farhat Khan, Akhtar-ul-Islam, Kashani, Qamar Zia, Ayaz Mahmood, Iftikhar Syed, Mansoor Ahmed, Chaudhary Ashraf, Arif Bhopali, Ejazuddin, Rashid-ul-Hasan, Shahid Ali Khan, Muntaz Haider, Pervaiz Iqbal, Irshad Haider, Javed Iqbal, KHA secretary Farooq Khan, and Gulfaraz Ahmed.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2016