AMSTELVEEN, Aug 21: Indian and Pakistani hockey officials will be meeting here later this week to work out details for reviving hockey ties between the two countries, said an official of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) on Thursday.

“Hopefully we will sort out all the modalities in regard to a hockey series next year at a neutral venue,” said Gothi Kumaran, secretary, IHF.

He said the series would not only be restricted between India and Pakistan and participation of another country would make it more competitive and interesting and it is most likely that series might take place in Malaysia.

“We have to break the deadlock and it is necessary that we should play each other, no matter, at a neutral venue and in my opinion Malaysia can be considered a better option because of sponsorship and other aspects,” he said.

The Indian hockey official sounded upbeat when asked about the revival of the hockey ties between the two countries and said it would eventually help in normalizing hockey relations between the two countries whose ultimate objective is to play such event on regular basis.

Pakistan and India last play each other in such a series in India in 1997-8 and since then mutual hockey relations are suspended owing to various reasons and now with the softening of political relations on the both the ends it is hoped by the respective hockey federations that they would also resume normal hockey ties.

“I am optimistic that day is not far when both the teams will be playing and the sooner they play the better it would be in the interest of the game in that region particularly in Asia ,” he said.

Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has reiterated its stance that it was ready to play India anywhere in the world and their gesture was not reciprocated in the same manner as the Indian Government did not give its hockey federation to go ahead signal.

“We have not yet approached the government in this regard and we hope once we approach then they would give us a positive replay ,” he said.

Kumaran said the meeting would take place between him and secretary, PHF, Brig Musarrat Ullah Khan and Das Gupta, the IHF, marketing agent, and it was hoped that all the necessary things would be worked out and important decisions would be taken to finalise all the details of the series.

“It is not just restoring hockey ties, we are also focusing on revenue generation and that is the reason we have involved our marketing agent to make it a profit earning venture, both for India and Pakistan ,” he said.

To a question, he said, this series can not be organised this year because Indian team would be busy in number of hockey assignments home and abroad and there are chances it would be held before Athens Olympics.

“We will be playing Asia Cup followed by Afro-Asian Games and then we will be hosting Holland later this year followed by participation in the qualifying rounds of the Olympics.

“I do not see time in between for India-Pakistan hockey series and we have to fix a date before Olympics,” he added.—APP