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Speaking to Dawn on Friday, the most successful captain of the Pakistan hockey team ever said that they were only awaiting some action from Minister for Sports Mir Aijaz Hussain Khan Jakhrani.
“It has been a week since Jakhrani Sahib had come down to Karachi to specially meet with us and hear our grievances regarding what has been going on within the Pakistan Hockey Federation [PHF] that has hurt the game so badly that a team having the potential to come fifth or sixth in the Word Cup ended up at the bottom instead.
“He had reassured us of taking some important steps in the right direction in a few days but we haven't heard from him since,” Islah continued.
“We put our campaign on hold despite requests from the media as well as the well-wishers of hockey here because we trusted Jakhrani Sahib to do what will ultimately result in the uplift of the national game.
“We have and are receiving so many invitations from all over the country to make our voices heard there. The response to our call is overwhelming. We know now that the nation is with us as the people do get our point of view. The stalwarts of hockey only want what is good for the game and we will do all we can to make sure the game gets back its glory,” he asserted.
Talking about the Olympians' next step, the former chief coach and selector said “We are holding a 'Meet the Press' in Islamabad on Saturday where all of us who gathered in Karachi as well as our friends in Islamabad will present their viewpoint about what ails hockey today.”
Islah and his team also hope to meet with the president and prime minister of Pakistan while in the capital.
“We would be very grateful if the president and the prime minister, who is the patron-in-chief of hockey in Pakistan, can also take some time out of their busy schedules to meet with us,” he said.
