KARACHI, March 30: Former Olympian Samiullah Khan has resigned as manager of Pakistan hockey team in protest, it was learnt on Wednesday.

According to sources Samiullah was not happy with the appointment panel of coaches in the senior team.

When contacted Samiullah, confirmed that he had despatched his resignation to Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary in Lahore but did not elaborated.

PHF secretary is currently in Kuala Lumpur to attend a meeting.

Samiullah, who is also member Advisory of Panel

of PHF, would be meeting PHF chief Tariq Kirmani shortly to convey his grievances.

Sources said during his tenure as manager, neither Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Brig. Musarrat Ullah Khan consulted him and nor took

him in confidence while appointing the panel of coaches.

It remained tradition in the past that PHF hierarchy always consulted manager while appointing coach or panel of coaches for the team.

After appointing Asif Bajwa and Rana Mujahid as senior team coaches, PHF recently added two more unqualified coaches Rana Zaheer Ahmed and Muhammad Farooq in Pakistan senior team.

Rana Zaheer and Farooq both went to Muscat as coach with Pakistan under-18 side for six a side event in Oman in the recent past.

This is some thing unique in Pakistan hockey when panel of four coaches was named for the senior team.

Samiullah was appointed manager of Pakistan team after Athens Olympics for the eight match home and away Dosti Series between Pakistan and India.

He remained manager of the team for 26th Champions Trophy in Lahore where alongwith Dutch coach Roelant Oltmans Pakis-

tan claimed bronze medal behind Spain and Netherlands. —APP