LAHORE, March 14: Pakistan will host the inaugural five-nation hockey tournament in December in Lahore, a Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) official said Thursday.

The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) allotted the event after receiving a proposal from Pakistan at its March 8 meeting held in Kuala Lumpur during the World Cup.

The schedule and date of the tournament will be finalized after receiving confirmation from the participants.

The tournament, to be participated by India, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan, will be hosted by the five countries on their turn.

Asked about India’s participation, the official said it depends on the relations between both the countries.

India has been avoiding to send its hockey team to Pakistan for the last two years due to strained relations.

Both, Pakistan and India, last played the annual hockey series in 1999-2000. Indian hockey officials had also refused to play Pakistan at a proposed three-nation tournament in Dubai in February.