The revival of Pak-India bilateral hockey series is in its final phase and a two-member delegation of Pakistan Hockey Federation will be visiting India from September 15 to sort out necessary modalities to hold the event next year.
"We had very productive meetings with the officials of India hockey during London Olympics and we discussed issues relating to revival of Pak-India bilateral series in length and finalised many aspects regarding the event," said Secretary, PHF, Muhammad Asif Bajwa while talking to APP here on Monday.
Bajwa said it is in the larger interest of sub-contingent hockey that Pak-India play on regular basis and keep improving in the game to lift the level of their game. President, PHF, Qasim Zia and Asif Bajwa will be visiting India for four days and during the meetins with the officials of the Hockey Indian, they will finalise the modalities of the series. "It is our desire that Indian hockey team should visit Pakistan first as we have visited them on many occasions in the past and we believe the visiting of Indian team early next year will mark a new era in Pak-India hockey," he added.
Bajwa described of Pak-India series of greater importance to lift the sagging fortunate of the game. "Once this region was the power house of the hockey and now it is struggling (region) at a low level at international ranking and the more these two countries play hockey it will be better for our hockey," he said.
Pak-India played their last bilateral series way back in 2006 with Pakistan winning three matches with two ending in draw and India won a lone fixture. To a question, Secretary PHF, said during the meetings the strength of the matches and the final dates will be finalised after which the tour programme will be announced. He said the revival of Pak-India series will not only serve the cause of hockey in the region but will serve as an effective medium to bring close the people of both the countries besides bettering the mutual relations.