The PHF Congress members from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday alleged that the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) had issued millions of rupees to an ‘individual’ instead of the genuine body of the province for the development of the game.
They were addressing a press conference after attending the General Council Meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Hockey Association held at a local hotel.
The PHF Congress members, who attended the meeting, included PHF Secretary General Syed Zahir Shah (Peshawar), Haji Nawar (Nowshera), Tehsin Ullah (Charsadda), Manzoor Ahmad Sadaat (Kohat), Muhammad Saddique Taheem (Dera Ismail Khan), Yousaf Khan (Dir), Malik Wadan (Swat), Shaheen Khan (Swabi), Haq Nawaz (Haripur) and Ayaz Khan (Peshawar).
The PHF congress members claimed that the PHF had released Rs 1.3 million to Punjab, Rs 0.5 million to Sindh, and Rs 0.55 million to its employee Naveed Alam from a special grant given by the prime minister, but ignored the most active KP Hockey Association.
The prime minister’s grant was meant for the promotion of hockey in all the provinces, but by obliging an individual, the PHF had deprived the KP youth of their due right, they alleged.
They also alleged that Naveed Alam, despite being a PHF employee, was also given Rs 3.8 million for holding a tournament in Mardan. However, instead of organising the tournament, he tried to form a parallel body to the KP Hockey Association, they added.
They said the KP Hockey Association was a duly elected body, which was taking steps for the promotion of hockey in the province. It had recently organised an Inter-Club Hockey Championship in all the districts, besides KP Inter-District Hockey Championship wherein teams from all the 12 districts took part. Similarly, it also held KP Under-16 Inter-District Hockey Championship.
Despite being an affiliated association, the KP Hockey Association was being ignored by the PHF, which was regrettable, they said.
Earlier, the General Council meeting of the KP Hockey Association approved holding of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Under-18 Hockey Championship in Peshawar in July this year and KP Inter-District Hockey Championship in September in Mardan.
Office-bearers and other members affiliated with the association attended the meeting, which was presided over by the former IGP Muhammad Saeed Khan (PHF Congress member from Mardan) in the absence of its president, Tariq Hayat.
