The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) called ‘rebel’ players in the 18-member squad for Pakistan’s tour to Europe starting on Friday. While talking to the journalists, Asif Bajwa, the secretary of PHF said that Mohammad Imran, Shakeel Abbasi and Mohammad Waseem will leave for Europe with the team on Friday while Rehan Butt has been called for a pre-Olympics training camp. Pakistan’s European tour will begin from June 8 during which they will be playing against teams from Germany, Belgium and Netherlands. The training camp for the Olympics will begin for the Greenshirts from June 24 in Lahore.
Sohail Abbas, who led the Greenshirts at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia, has been retained as captain for the European tour as well. The PHF, which had previously imposed heavy monetary fines on eight players for participating in the World Series Hockey (WSH), also reduced the amount. Butt and Abbasi, who were fined 1 million, have now been asked to pay Rs. 100, 000 while Mohammad Waseem, Zeeshan Ashraf and Imran Warsi have paid Rs. 50, 000. An official of the PHF said: “For participation in the unsanctioned event by the eight Pakistani players, the PHF Discipline Committee probed and investigated into the matter and furnished its recommendations to the PHF. The PHF fined to players Rehan Butt & Shakeel Abbas Rs. one million and Rs. 2.5 lakhs to the rest of the players. “The players appealed for condone of the fine, which was accepted by the President PHF and reduced the fine amounting to Rs.1 lakh to Rehan Butt & Shakeel Abbasi and Rs. 50,000/= to rest of the players, keeping in view their services for hockey and the nation, which has been paid by the players. “Three of the players who did not appeal for pardon, PHF have asked them to apply within 10 days of this notice. Otherwise, they may face the consequences, for which they themselves will be responsible,” he added.
The PHF has for the preparation of London Olympics, established a backup camp at National Hockey Stadium Lahore on June 11 and asked the players to report to the Camp Commandant Anjum Saeed. Amir Shehzad, Shabbir Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Zubair, Imran Butt, Rehan Butt, Muhammad Ateeq, Ammad Shakeel Butt, Fahad Afridi, Arslan Qadir, Muhammad Irfan, Saleem Nazim, Muzammil Bhatti, Abdul Zohaib Khan, Mazhar Abbas, Tasawar Abbas, Muhamamd Suleman and M. Dilber Hussain. Danish Kaleem will also impart coaching instructions to the camp trainees and Dr. Asad Abbas Shah will look after the camp trainees for any eventuality. Pakistan senior hockey will undertake a training tour of Europe and will play matches against Belgium, Germany and Netherlands on 11th, 13th, 14th & 15th June 2012. The team shall depart for Europe on 9th June and return on 18th June 2012. The contingent consists of the following:- PHF brought back the discarded players after Pakistan’s abysmal performance at the Azlan Shah Cup where the Greenshirts finished last.
Squad: Mohammad Imran, Shakeel Abbasi, Mohammad Waseem, Imran Shah (goalkeeper), Mohammad Irfan, Kashif Shah, Mohammad Khalid, Fareed Ahmed, Rashid Mehmood, Rizwan Junior, Umar Tauseef, Mohammad Waqas, Shafqat Rasool, Umar Bhutta, Abdul Haseem Khan, Mohammad Rizwan Senior, Ali Shan.
OFFICIALS: M/s. Akhtar Rasool Chaudhary/Manager, Khawaja Muhammad Junaid, Ajmal Khan Lodhi, Shahid Ali Khan/Coaches, Faiz-ur-Rahman/Physio and Nadeem Khan Lodhi/Video-Analyst.
