ISLAMABAD: President of the women’s wing of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Khushbakht Shujaat has requested PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari for constructing a women’s hockey stadium in Karachi.

Shujaat, who called on the PPP head here on Tuesday, discussed various issues concerning women’s hockey and requested Zardari to construct a hockey stadium for them in the metropolis.

During her meeting, Shujaat, who is also MQM Senator, hailed Sindh government’s recent initiative of providing financial assistance to the crisis-hit PHF.

“Recently, Sindh CM during his meeting with the president and secretary of the PHF announced Rs100 million for the federation, which is a good initiative… and I being the president of the women’s wing also requested Mr Asif Zardari, for the construction of a women’s hockey stadium in Karachi and for jobs of women players in various departments,” Shujaat said while talking to Dawn.

She said that there was no stadium for women in Karachi.

“My meeting [with Mr Zardari] remained very positive. PPP leader Dr Asim was also present on the occasion, and Zardari directed him to find a suitable place for constructing a hockey stadium for women,” Shujaat said, adding that during the meeting some appropriate sites for the proposed stadium came under discussion.

The Senator regretted that women’s hockey in Pakistan was not getting due attention of the government.

“There is a need to pay special focus on women’s hockey,” she emphasised, adding that women’s sports sector in Pakistan was being neglected.

“In most of the [sports] federations, the women’s wing is only constituted to complete formalities. In fact, there is no special focus for promoting women in sports,” the Senator lamented.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2017