ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hockey Federation has been directed by a government committee to engage with the federal ministry of finance to discuss the feasibility of the national side’s participation in the FIH Pro League.

The committee, headed by the Prime Minister’s advisor on Inter-provincial Coordination (IPC) Rana Sanaullah was constituted by the premier after the PHF reached out to the government for PKR350 million as funds to ensure Pakistan feature in the competition.

Pakistan were invited by the FIH to participate in the Pro League following the withdrawal of Nations Cup winners New Zealand due to financial constraints.

The committee asked the PHF to submit its response by August 16 after a meeting on Tuesday, which saw Sanaullah, IPC secretary Mohyuddin Wani, the additional finance secretary, and officials of the Pakistan Sports Board mull over the pros and cons of the national team’s participation in the Pro League — which features the likes of hockey giants Argentina, Australia, Belgium, England, Germany, India, Netherlands and Spain.

According to sources, PHF officials argued during the meeting that the tournament would help Pakistan compete against the world’s best sides, when asked how the tournament would be beneficial.

But the PHF’s poor financial record and its failure submit certified bank statements of its accounts was also discussed, to which the hockey officials said the body continued to share audit reports and other required documents with the PSB.

PHF officials are likely to meet representatives of the finance ministry on Wednesday, sources said, with proposed expenditure sheets and availability of funding to come under discussion. The meeting will be followed by the government committee’s final decision over the issue.

PHF president Tariq Hussain Bugti was also asked by the PSB the other day to justify the continued failure to conduct the body’s elections and explain his inaction on the inquiry report concerning the authorised bank accounts.

Bugti was also asked to provide reasons for the non-submission of bank statements of all accounts of PHF, disclose tour expenditure of all office bearers of the body during the last one year and its source of funding.

Details over the PHF’s income including that through rented property and its utilization was also sought from the president, who was asked to justify the “unauthorised perks, and administrative expenditure drawn by PHF office bearers”.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2025