Pakistan hockey team will not travel to India for Junior World Cup

Staff Report

LAHORE: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Wednesday announced that Pakistan would not participate in next month’s Junior World Cup, to be held from Nov 28 to Dec 10, in India. The decision came after a high-profile meeting in Islamabad where the security issues and India’s hostile approach towards Pakistan in the sports sector, particularly the conduct of its cricket team during the recent Asia Cup, came under discussion. “The PHF will convey its decision to Hockey India soon,” a PHF official was quoted as saying. “The PHF and the government don’t want to compromise on security of players, therefore we decided not to send our team.” The International Cricket Council, the sports global body, has arranged for neutral venues for both Pakistan and India during tournaments held in either country. Hockey’s governing body, the FIH, however, hasn’t made any such hybrid arrangement. Pakistan skipped the Asia Cup in India last month despite the tournament being a qualifier for next year’s World Cup.

Meanwhile, the issue of PHF elections was taken by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Inter Provincial Coordination, which met in the federal capital at under the chairmanship of MNA Sheikh Aftab Ahmed. During the course of meeting, the convener of sub-committee presented a report on the PHF. The committee was told that the PHF had agreed to conduct the scrutiny of clubs and elections of committee. During the meeting, PHF secretary Rana Mujahid told the committee that issue of elections of PHF and scrutiny of clubs would be placed before the Executive Committee of PHF in its meeting on November 7 and a subsequent announcement will be made. The committee directed the PHF that the election commission should be formed with representation of Pakistan Sports Board while club scrutiny should be carried out with consultation and representation of PSB.