Pakistan national hockey team will visit Australia in November this year, according to Secretary, Pakistan Hockey Federation and former Olympian Shahbaz Ahmad Senior. "The tour will prove vital for the team. Pakistan hockey team will also participate in the forthcoming 25th Sultan Azalan Shah Hockey Cup to be played in April 2016," he said talking to reporters in Peshawar.
Shahbaz Senior also lauded Australia Hockey Federation for enhancing all out support including boarding and lodging promised by them to the team during the visit hence less amount needed for the tour. He said that Government has allocated rupees 7.5 million but that will not only disburse on visits but also on clearance of the dues inherited from last PHF management.
"Pakistan Hockey Federation is ready to give full detail of the financial matters to the government and it is good to have check from them," he said. He said efforts were being made to invite teams of China, Malaysia and other countries to host their test matches in order to restore international hockey to Pakistan. He said that his PHF was trying best to have international exposure for both the senior and junior teams.
"We want the junior team should also have international exposure well before Junior World Cup scheduled in the first week of December this year in India," he said. He said that after overwhelming support by Tayyab Ikram, CEO, Asian Hockey Federation, the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) has extended an invitation to PHF for participation of the Pakistan Senior hockey team in the 25th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup to be played from April 7-17, 2016. Pakistan hockey team participated in every all but 2014 and 2015 tournaments in Malaysia.
He said due to lack of funds PHF was not able to send its team to various foreign tours but the situation will soon be improved as far as international exposure to the junior and senior teams are concerned," he said. "Since my appointment as Secretary General, I have been making efforts to bring the hockey back on the right track and direction. He said President PHF Brigadier (Retd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar is also working hard and held many meetings in this connection with the members of AHF and FIH and all of them want to support Pakistan Hockey," he concluded.