KARACHI: The District East Hockey team, which recently won the Sindh Inter-district Hockey Championship, was feted at a dinner held at the KHA Sports Complex on Thursday. The ceremony was organised by KHA in collaboration with Sindh Sports department to honour the victorious team for winning the title after a long time.

Secretary Sports Department Sindh Syed Imtiaz Ali Shah graced the ceremony as chief guest and presented Rs10,000 each to the players and officials of the District East team besides the winner’s trophy which was received by DE skipper Shahbaz Ali.

Imtiaz also decorated the players with gold medals. Sindh Minster Syeda Shehla Raza, Olympian Hanif Khan and KHA secretary Haider Hussain were also present on the occasion.

KHA patron-in-chief retired Vice Admiral Syed Arifullah Husseni asked the players to maintain the competitive spirit. Shehla Raza said it is a good omen that hockey activities have been revived after a long time due to action against the encroachment mafia at the play grounds of the city.

She said the government will construct hockey fields in all districts of the province and lauded the champions. KHA president Dr Syed Junaid Ali Shah also attended the program and lauded the hard work of the winners.

Secretary Sports later presented two air tickets to upcoming players Sultan Mehmood and Arbaz Ayaz from Karachi to Peshawar to compete in the National Under-16 Hockey Championship there.

KHA officials Gulfaraz Khan and Haider Hussain also thanked the chief guest for supporting the players.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2020