KARACHI, Aug 18: The organising secretary of the ongoing national junior hockey championship came under fire on Saturday when Habib Bank (HBL) alleged that he had removed three of their players during age scrutiny after his favourite players from Faisalabad were not accomodated in the squad.

HBL team manager Abdul Ghafoor alleged that organising secretary Rana Mujahid had asked him to include his favourite players from Faisalabad district in the bank’s squad or he would remove HBL players during scrutiny.

“He had asked to include Pervaiz Akhtar, Hafiz Rahman and Mohsin Usman in the squad and had warned me that if I failed to include them, he will remove our players on pretext of being over-aged,” Ghafoor said from Faisalabad where the championship is being played.

The HBL official added that the organising secretary had removed Mohammad Zubair, Salman Hussain and Imran Shah to settle the score.

“Our players are not over-aged and we have provided their original B forms. Our goalkeeper Imran Shah played for the Pakstan junior team last year and was a member of the squad that won an invitational event in Singapore. If he is over-aged then how did the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) include him in the national squad,” he asked.

Ghafoor said while HBL and other team players were being excluded from the teams, a number of over-aged players were playing without being noticed.

“Ammar Ishrat of National Bank played for Pakistan junior in 2003 and is still representing NBP’s juniors. NBP’s Usman is also over-aged while PIA juniors have Waqas Akbar and Muhammad Zubair who have been a part of the Pakistan senior team in the past before being axed from the squad,” he said.

The HBL manager also accused Mujahid of misbehaving with him in the presence of Jahangir Butt and tournament director Zahir Shah in his office when he went to inquire why the players had been disallowed to participate.

Tournament director Zahir Shah, however, said that the three HBL players had been excluded for being over-age.

“Jahangir Butt, organising secretary Rana Mujahid and I excluded the HBL players as they were found over-age during scrutiny. Three of us are involved in scrutiny of the players,” Zahir said, but added he was unaware that Mujahid had threatened HBL to accommodate players or he would remove HBL players during age scrutiny.

Mujahid, who is nominated secretary of the Punjab Hockey Association, was not available for comments.