LAHORE: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Rana Mujahid said on Tuesday that no decision has yet been made regarding the national team’s participation in the upcoming Asia Cup in India, adding that the matter remained under consideration at the highest level of the government.

Speaking at a press conference called on short notice, the PHF official clarified that the issue was “highly sensitive” and that only the federal government, specifically the Prime Minister, had the authority to decide whether or not the national side will travel to India for the event, scheduled for September.

“The issue is under discussion at the government level and we will act according to its directive,” Mujahid said. “There is no deadline pressure from the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF), as such timelines are extendable.”

Amidst ongoing speculation in both countries about Pakistan’s participation, Mujahid declined to comment on what he termed “negative propaganda” from across the border, stating that the PHF does not wish to escalate matters unnecessarily.

‘Super League to be launched with Army’s support’

He insisted that no final decision had been reached and that any reports suggesting otherwise were baseless.

“If Pakistan opts out, we will communicate the reasons clearly to the international hockey bodies,” Mujahid said. “But our priority is to follow the instructions of our own government, not the AHF or FIH.”

He added that the PHF would support any proposal from the government to either withdraw from the tournament or request a change in venue. Mujahid also revealed that the PHF was working closely with the Pakistan Army to launch the country’s first Pakistan Super Hockey League. According to him, considerable groundwork had already been done, and discussions with major sponsors were underway.

He acknowledged the financial challenges faced by the PHF, and credited Army chief General Asim Munir and federal sports minister Rana Sanaullah for facilitating Pakistan’s recent participation in the FIH Nations Cup and the U-18 Asia Cup, held in Malaysia and China, respectively.

“Due to their support, both our senior and junior teams were able to take part in these events,” Mujahid said.

The PHF secretary also dismissed claims that the federation had demanded a specific budget from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB). He said the PHF had merely shared its domestic and international plans, including potential participation in the FIH Pro League, but did not seek a predetermined sum.

According to him, the PHF requires an annual budget of Rs750 million to function smoothly, pointing out that India spends nearly INR 3 billion on its national hockey programme.

“It is the responsibility of the state to support us,” he added.

Mujahid confirmed that while most pending player dues have been cleared, payments for the last two international events — the Nations Cup and U-18 Asia Cup — were still being processed.

Highlighting recent improvements in Pakistan’s hockey performance, Mujahid noted that the national ranking had improved from 18th to 12th under the current PHF leadership.

“We’ve reached the finals in three age-group tournaments — the Asia Junior Cup in Oman, the FIH Nations Cup in Malaysia, and the U-18 Asia Cup in China,” he said. “This shows our hockey is back on the right track after years of underperformance.”

Pakistan lost to India 2-1 in the Junior Asia Cup final, went down 6-2 to New Zealand in the Nations Cup decider, and were defeated 3-0 by Japan in the U-18 Asia Cup final.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2025