THE Under-16 All Pakistan Academies' Hockey Tournament is in progress at Lahore and in this tournament after a lapse of so many years a hockey team from Karachi has been able to reach the semi-finals of any hockey tournament.

The boys of PHF Karachi Academy No.2 presented tremendous hockey skills and reached the semi-finals of the tournament and gave a tough time to some hockey teams of Punjab in this tournament. They even beat PHF Academy Gojra by a margin of 2-0.

All credit goes to PHF and its appointed coaches at the Academy of Karachi. Renowned hockey players like Saleem Sherwani, Jan Muhammad and Muhammad Ali Khan were appointed coaches for Karachi Academy number 2 and due to their untiring efforts the boys of Karachi have shown tremendous progress in the tournament.

It may be pointed out that the PHF in collaboration with the Karachi Hockey Association is also conducting an under-12 hockey tournament at the Olympian Iftikhar Syed Ground, Karachi.

The Karachi Hockey Association under the leadership of President Wasey Jalil and Secretary Farooq Khan are doing their best to promote hockey in Karachi.

I strongly believe that with the passage of time there would be plenty of talented hockey players available in Pakistan.

However, sports lovers are disappointed on the curtailment of budget on sports in the recent budget announced by the government which will prove harmful for the improvement of sports in Pakistan.

As such, it is hoped that the government would reconsider its decision and increase the allocation on sports in the budget for the year 2010-2011 for the promotion of sports in Pakistan.

MURTUZA KHAN
Karachi