KARACHI, April 11: Habib Bank (HBL) may receive a blow as Wapda are flexing their muscles to become a formidable side by offering jobs to four key hockey players of the bankers.

Sources said four internationals Sohail Abbas, Kashif Jawwad, Waseem Ahmad and Naveed Iqbal, have been offered regular jobs by Wapda.

If the group of four opted to join Wapda, it will be yet another shock for HBL who were beaten by National Bank 6-1 in the third place playoff in the national championship in Lahore.

Apart from Naveed, the remaining three players are Olympians and current Pakistan team members and had also represented the country at Kuala Lumpur World Cup in February-March.

Sohail, the lynchpin of the national side, confirmed he was considering the offer from Wapda.

The full-back has been with HBL for the last several years on contract employment drawing Rs22,000 monthly. But the defender still awaits to be absorbed by the bank owing to the ban on regular jobs.

“I have been offered a grade-16 job on permanent basis by Wapda. I may switch over to Wapda but so far have not decided,” Sohail said Thursday.

Sohail, famous for scoring goals from penalty corner flicks, said he would decide whether to join Wapda on his return from Malaysia where he is scheduled to play league. He is due to leave for Malaysia on April 16.

Both, Kashif and Waseem, who are also pondering to switch over to Wapda in search of greener pastures, have been invited to join on grade-16, while Naveed on grade-11.

HBL has not a single hockey player on a regular payroll despite being the major sponsor of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and having an array of Pakistan players.

Pakistan strikers Mohammad Shabbir and Mudassir Ali Khan have been absorbed by Wapda recently, while Pakistan goalkeeper, Mohammad Qasim, has also been inducted by Wapda permanently after he left his contractual employment with Allied Bank.