Islamabad - President of Pakistan Hockey Federation Brig (R) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar called on the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa at GHQ the other day.
While talking exclusively to The Nation on Saturday, Brig (R) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar termed his meeting with General Bajwa as highly fruitful, and promised that with the support of Pakistan Army, international hockey will revive in Pakistan very soon.
He further said, besides discussing issues related to hockey, General Bajwa assured army’s all out support for providing security to visiting international teams, players and he also assured that army stands with the hockey federation to revive national game in the country.
He also assured of providing Security for proposed International Hockey League, which would be held in Lahore in October, November this year, Khokhar said.
Khokhar added, “We are already negotiating with different international players and would reveal details about the league very soon,” he further said. “World XI, comprising of former hockey greats from Australia, Germany, Netherlands and other top hockey playing nations will visit Pakistan to play a match against our Olympians and Pakistan hockey team, Shahbaz Senior and other former greats from Pakistan will be seen in action, the match is proposed in September in Rawalpindi Army Ground or Karachi, we will soon finalise the details.”
He further said that General Bajwa congratulated Pakistan hockey team upon their direct entry into next year’s World Cup which is to be held in India.
He hoped that team will perform well and bring laurels for country like they did in the past.
Khokhar added, “I would visit Lahore and finalise details about our future plans regarding revival of international hockey, I can easily say, my meeting with COAS was highly fruitful, he is a sports-loving person and wants hockey and other sports to flourish in Pakistan.”
He said the support of Pakistan Army means a lot for Pakistan Hockey Federation, it will help the federation to convince the international teams and players to come and play in Pakistan without any fear. “Overall security of Pakistan is very much improved with the sacrifices of Army and government and the day is not far when full-fledge international sports would return to Pakistan and our playing fields will be packed with local crowd and youth will witness top class hockey players and other international sporting stars performing in front of them,” Khokhar added.
Revival of international hockey, World Xi visit and International Hockey League will help the federation in attracting youth towards playing hockey again.
“We need fresh blood, we have made decision in the best interest of hockey in general and country in particular and hopefully the boys’ will perform to the best of their abilities and carry forward the mission of winning back the lost glory,” Brig Khokhar concluded.