Pakistan Hockey Federation, Federal Sports Ministry, Standing Committee of the National Assembly for sports and hockey fans have expressed shock and resented over exclusion of hockey from the 31st National Games being held in Peshawar from 25th December 2010.
It may be added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister for sports Syed Aqil shah announcing the schedule of the games in Peshwawar said hockey, football and cycling have been dropped from the 25 event national games.
Describing the POC's decision as pathetic, PHF Secretary Asif Bajwa that PHF will lodge a strong protest with the Pakistan Olympic Committee over dropping of hockey, which had brought laurels and Olympic gold medals for the country. He said PHF President Qasim Zia is presently out of the country. Immediately after return home, PHF will take up this matter with the highest authority in the country to redress this gross injustice and mischief.
Bajwa said we would not rest till the hockey was included in the games to be held in Peshawar next month. If the KPK government or the POC was facing any difficulty, PHF was ready to provide the logistics support, organise the matches and provide referees to supervise the matches, he added.
Expressing his displeasure over dropping of the most popular game from the national games, Federal Minister for Sports Ejaz Jakhrani said he has asked Pakistan Olympic Committee to immediately explain as to why hockey, football and cycling have been dropped from the national games.
Chairman National Assembly standing committee for sports, Mohammad Ali Khan said that the committee has also taken notice of this regrettable decision and will make sure that hockey will include in the national games. It may be recalled that the National Games were postponed twice due to the bad security situation in the province, but this time all has been set to organise this major sports gala at all cost next month.