ISLAMABAD (APP) – President Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Brig (r) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar has said that the PHF head office might be shifted to Islamabad as the current office in Lahore is unable to meet federation’s needs for smooth functioning.
“The PHF office in Lahore is not catering to our needs. The situation there is that one cannot even enter there (PHF office) from the front main gate,” he told APP.
However, Khokhar said that initially it would be his effort to get a reasonable place in Lahore for PHF head office and in case he did not succeed then there were all chances of shifting it to Islamabad.
He also hinted that in case the head office is not moved to Islamabad then a sub-office of the federation would be opened in the Capital. “As Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) offices are in Islamabad, I think we will have close liaison with them if a PHF office is also set up in the Capital,” he maintained.
He said it would be his effort to lift Pakistan hockey and bring it at par with international standard. “We want to make Pakistan hockey visible,” he said adding that in the past no work had been done to raise level of national game. “The situation cannot change overnight. We need some time to put our hockey back on track.”
To a question, Khokhar said that the Astroturf at Naseer Bunda Stadium would soon be replaced as the existing turf had become obsolete.
The PHF president added that he believed in action and was in no mood to make tall claims. “Every effort will be made to keep things transparent. It will be ensured that only players performing well in domestic events make their way to the national team.”
He said it would be his effort to help hockey make solid roots and for that focus would be on the grass roots level. “We will concentrate on club and school level hockey,” he said adding that inter-board tournament would start on October 21 in Bahawalpur and it was expected to find some talented boys from that event.
