LAHORE, Aug 20: NWFP Whites take on Northern Areas in the opening match of the National Under-20 Junior Hockey Championship which gets underway here at the National Hockey Stadium from Thursday.

While addressing a press conference, Olympian Rana Mujahid Ali, Secretary Punjab Hockey Association, who is also the organising secretary of the tournament along with Zahir Shah, Secretary NWFP Hockey Association and tournament director said that the event is being held as per schedule.

“Age scrutiny of the teams will be conducted before the start of each match and strict action would be taken against those teams and officials inducting over-age players for which we have also formed a special committee,” said Rana Mujahid.

The championship features 18 teams that have been divided into four pools.

The final will be played on Aug 29.

Pool ‘A’: PIA, KESC, Balochistan, NWFP (W) Northern Areas.

Pool ‘B’: Army, Railways, NWFP, Sindh (W), Balochistan (W).

Pool ‘C’: Pakistan Steel, Punjab (W), Police, Islamabad.

Pool ‘D’: NBP, Navy, Sindh (C), Punjab.

Thursday’s fixtures:

NWFP (W) v Northern Area (Pool ‘A’); Railways v Balochistan (W) Pool ‘B’; Punjab (W) v Islamabad (Pool ‘C’); Sindh v Punjab; Police v Pakistan Steel; NWFP v Sindh (W); NBP v Navy; PIA v KESC.

Technical officials panel: Muhammad Zahir Shah (tournament director); Jalil Ahmed Chohan (coordinator); Chaudhary Ansar Jaura, Zahid Iqbal and Muhammad Shafique Bhatti (tournament officers).