LAHORE, Jan 5: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president- Syed Tariq Kirmani on Tuesday endorsed the Pakistan senior and junior team's management's and selection committee which were formed on Dec 28 without his consultation.

Tariq had been nominated as PHF president in place of Gen Aziz Khan (retired) by the patron-in-chief, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, on Dec 28, the day the federation's congress and council met here and approved new management's of teams and the selection committee.

The outgoing president (Aziz) had left the venue after tendering his resignation in the council meeting. Interestingly, the congress held its meeting without any president since Mr Tariq could not reach the venue to get approval of his new assignment.

Surprisingly, the names of new management's for both the senior and junior teams and selection committee were presented before the Congress which approved them without a president. "I think the work should not be stopped due to the absence of a person if there is any urgency," Tariq told the congress in an extraordinary meeting held on Wednesday.

Asked if PHF secretary Mussarat Ullah Khan and other officials would continue as such, Tariq said at the moment he did not see any need for a change but he was not in a position to say about the future.

"The changes can be made if deemed necessary, but it is premature to comment on this aspect," he said. I think Gen Aziz had done a good job during his tenure and I feel easy so far as administrative matters are concerned," Tariq said.

However, he accepted that the task to regain past glory would be a challenging one for him. "It is not easy to win titles. But I accepted the assignment as a challenge," he added.

Asked if he would have appropriate time for hockey, since he had other official assignments, he said: "No doubt time is a major factor. But, I have to spare time despite all pressing engagements."

He said as hockey had been facing a decline and it was not surprising in a situation when other institutions of the country were also facing downward slide. Tariq said he was not in a position to announce his future policies, since he was elected hours ago.

"I did not touch any technical issue so far and I will make statements on all issues after a through study," he said. Replying to a question, he said he was elected as president for the full term of four years. The PHF's routine elections are scheduled to be held in December this year.

He said he had never been a player of hockey or cricket and he had only watched the matches as a spectator. He said he would try to help financially the district associations to strengthen the base of the game at the grassroots level.