LAHORE, June 20: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has expressed deep concern on sagging fortunes of Pakistan hockey and urged team and officials to take fresh start.

Although the prime minister, who is the patron-in-chief of Pakistan hockey, was concerned over the decline, according to a Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), he was optimistic about the future of the game.

According to secretary of PHF Khalid Mahmood, prime minister recently awarded cash prizes to team members in Islamabad for winning bronze medal at Doha Asia Games.

PHF secretary said the prime minister had referred to the recent pathetic performance of Pakistan at Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia where they finished and urged team members to lift the standard of the game.

Khalid said prime minister had asked PHF to provide its proposal in writing regarding jobs to hockey players and admission quota in educational institutions.—APP