Rawalpindi-A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Pakistan’s first smart housing project “TopCity1” and Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) in a ceremony held at site office near New Islamabad International Airport (NIIAP) on other day.
Chief Operating Officer TopCity1 Brig (R) Sikandar Khan and KHA Chairperson/ Minister for Women Development Government of Sindh Syeda Shehla Raza signed the MOU.
The ceremony was hosted by Regional Head South KMK Towers (TopCity1) Imran Saleem.
Chief Executive Officer TopCity1 Kunwar Moeez Khan, Director Ghulam Yasin and Chief Finance Officer Adeel, Site Administrator Brig (R) Hamid Khan, Head of Sales and Marketing Atif Syed, Body Building Federation Pakistan General Secretary/ Asian Body Committee Science and Research Committee Member Sohail Anwar and Secretary General KHA/ Coordinator Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Syed Haider Hussain were also present on the occasion.
As per the MoU, it was agreed between both parties that a new women hockey team will be formulated consisting of 18 players along with two coaches in Karachi.
The team will be named and registered with Karachi Hockey Association as “TopCity1 Women Hockey Team Karachi.” The age limit of all players selected should be under 25 years and all the selected players to be resident of Karachi in order to ensure and monitor on ground regular attendance for game training, physical fitness and discipline.
Besides paying monthly stipend and medical insurances to the women players, a handsome amount will be paid by the sponsor to any player selected for Pakistan National Women Camp as well as for national women hockey team, the MoU said.
Speaking on the occasion, KHA Chairperson and Sindh Minister for Women Development Syeda Shehla Raza thanked the TopCity1 management for wholeheartedly supporting women hockey team as part of their overall support for the development of sports in country.
“It is a very encouraging sign that more and more women from Sindh are coming up in the team to play hockey,” the minister added.
She said that earlier hockey which is national game of Pakistan was being neglected but with the big step of TopCity1 the game will be joined by many females. “I have also created a helpline 104 with directions to the female players to lodge complaint with me in case of harassment,” Syeda Shehla Raza said.
She said Sindh will produce quality women hockey players who will uplift the name of our beloved country Pakistan. She said that revival of hockey would send clear and bold message to international community that we are art and sports lovers and not terrorists.
Earlier, COO TopCity1 Brig (R) Sikandar Khan said that over the years TopCity1 has actively sponsored events and sportsperson across the board, ranging from dessert rallies down south to mountain expeditions on mountain bikes up north. “We have aligned with government and educational institutions to promote our sportsmen on numerous occasions,” he said adding that currently TopCity1 has over a dozen brand ambassadors on board who are sponsored and looked after by TopCity1 as they represent Pakistan nationally and internationally. Among them are Saaed Khan Afridi, Bilal Mehsud and Nadir Balouch. These martial artists and boxers have made us all proud on countless occasions and won medals for Pakistan at international level.
“As you all are well aware that the recently concluded Karachi Inter District Tournament was organised by TopCity1 in collaboration with Pakistan Rangers Sindh. It was a first of its kind collaboration to act as a stepping stone in paving way for the revival of our national sport, hockey,” he mentioned.