Pakistan hockey has never been in such dire straits as now. The national team failed to qualify for the World Cup 2014 and the Olympics 2016 for the first time. The person generally regarded as the culprit for the repeated humiliation is Akhtar Rasool. He was the manager/head coach of the Pakistan team when it failed to qualify for World Cup 2014.The PML(N) government promoted their stalwart for achieving this dubious distinction. Akhtar Rasool was made the President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation. He was the sitting president when Pakistan failed to qualify for the Olympics 2016. One hoped, the ‘great administrator’ would stay away from hockey. But the person is now back. It was a shock to find his name in the core committee of the newly formed Khadm-e-Punjab Talent Hunt Programme. In this capacity, he recently presided the meeting of hockey committee of the Khadm-e-Punjab Talent Hunt programme. 

SAJID ALI,  

Rawalpindi, February 16.