Islamabad - Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in relation to laying of new astroturf at the Hockey Ground POF Sports Complex Wah Cantt through PSDP.

PHF president Brig (r) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar and POF Board chairman Lt Gen Umar Farooq Durrani, HI (M), signed MoU regarding establishment of National Level Hockey Academy and laying of astroturf at POF Hockey Ground Wah Cantt in order to revive the national game.

The officials of PHF and POF will jointly be responsible for maintenance of astroturf as per international standard while all the operational work regarding laying astroturf and establishing an academy will be done by PHF. However, POF will assist the federation experts in this regard. PHF will recommend young and talented hockey players along with coaches and officials for induction and POF will provide employment to the PHF recommended hockey players and coaches on the available vacancies after completion of all formalities.

All PHF-recommended players, coaches and officials will be required to follow the training program,e as approved by POF Sports Board while the coaching programmes will be started in schools and local clubs through PHF by engaging national and international coaches on their roll free of cost.

The international players will be invited by PHF to participate in training camps, which will certainly raise the standard of POF players. The PHF will hold at least four national-level tournaments every year at POF Wah. POF will hold local, departmental and inter-departmental tournaments at the venue. POF is also bound to spare the venue as and when required by PHF for holding of national tournaments and training camps, POF Wah will spare the enrolled players for trials, tournaments, training camps and matches as requested by the PHF.

POF hockey ground is one of the designated grounds of PHF, where a number of national, international events/camps were held from 1991 to 2004 on astroturf. The astroturf was laid down way back in 1991 but has outlived its usefulness since 2004, Wah and surrounding areas have a huge talent in the game of hockey even they are playing on muddy/grassy grounds but gradual downfall has still been observed due to non-availability of Astroturf, the turf had played a vital role in promotion of hockey, grooming of talent and proper nourishment of the players in the region.