PAKISTAN HOCKEY FEDERATION z PHF-Communications Chairman PIA graces the final of 1 st OGDCL Hockey 5 A side Floodlight tournament held in Lahore Hockey Club of Pakistan has been renamed after the esteemed humanitarian as Maulana Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium in Karachi Restoration of old archives initiated by new management to save the prestigious moments R E V I V E H O C K E Y R E V I V E N A T I O N A L I S M
Preface Pakistan Hockey has been going through a continuous decline. The country won its last global title, World Cup in 1994. Since then there has been a gradual deterioration in national team s performance on the international stage. Resultantly, the game s popularity in the country is at the lowest ebb. These factors posed a fatal threat to the future of Hockey in the country and ultimately to the potential talented players who have been grooming their skills at their own. Understanding the severity the problem and realizing the need of providing a shelter to the young talent, The new management of the PHF, which is at the helm for less than a year, has taken it as a challenge to put Pakistan hockey back on track at grass root levels. President PHF, Brig (r) Khalid S. Khokhar and Secretary General PHF, Shahbaz Ahmad Sr. took the lead in popularizing Hockey by re-establishing the positive image of Pakistan Hockey with its affiliates and International Partners including the Federation of International Hockey (FIH), Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) and International Olympic Committee (IOC) by taking concrete steps in this regard: revival at the grass roots, increased number of tournaments at all the levels, more international activity of national teams (senior, under 21, under 18 and women), getting sponsorship from public and private sectors, and restoring the positive image of hockey among the general population. The plan Vision 2020 comprises of a range of initiatives for popularizing Hockey among the general masses with lucrative career plans for players, umpires and coaches linked with hockey and retaining the lost fan base of young and senior citizens, thus reviving the game at all large. During the quarter of June-August 2016, PHF organized a number of tournaments in line with the PHF annual calendar and a more fan centric approach to enhance public interest in the game.
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT My dear friends, Pakistan is the pioneer of field hockey and has gained due recognition for its unmatchable efforts throughout the hockey fraternity around the world. This was all possible due to the untiring efforts, zeal and enthusiasm that we had invested in our national game. This invested effort led to a great deal of fame, glory and respect for Pakistan for which we remain proud. However, today our symbolic game is going through a critical stage and is in need of the same efforts for its revival. It is in our hands to revive our beloved national game in Pakistan as it is my firm belief that together we can uplift the integrity of Pakistan Hockey once again to achieve un-parallel milestones through your mammoth energy, passion and fervor. Godspeed! Brig. (r) Khalid S. Khokhar President Pakistan Hockey Federation MESSAGE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL It gives me immense satisfaction to see that Pakistan still possesses great talent of hockey. All that we need is polishing the youngsters on modern lines. At the same time, I expect the players to display same dedication and hard work that enabled our past stars to bring such great laurels to our country. Pakistan is inundated with talented athletes and it is my firm belief that the future of hockey is not only bright and colorful, but the future hockey generations shall bring us our victorious standings in hockey fraternity once again. (Ameen) Shahbaz Ahmad (H.I) Secretary General Pakistan Hockey Federation
PAKISTAN HOCKEY FEDERATION Summary of Activities S. No Detail Dates 1 PHF launches the new website 1 st June 2 1 st OGDCL Hockey 5 A Side floodlight tournament 18 th 25 th June 3 International Olympics Day Celebrations 23 rd June 4 Hockey Stadium renamed after Maulana Abdul Sattar Edhi 11 th July 5 Pakistani Stars playing all over the world 17 th July 6 National Under 21 Team participates in 4 nations cup 21 st 24 th July 7 Australian High Commission Rep. visited PHF Headquarters for 27 th July Bilateral cooperation 8 Signs of Improvement: Insight interview with Tahir Zaman 31 st July 9 First ever 9-A-side floodlight tournament organized by PHF 7 th 14 th August 10 29th National Women Hockey Championship 5 th 12 th August 11 Remembering the Olympics 11 th August 12 Pakistan Juniors Victorious at BCE International Hockey Tournament at Enschede, Netherlands 28 th August 13 Prime Minister Of Pakistan Extends His Sincere Support Towards Hockey 14 Pakistan Wins the Olympic Day Celebrations Awards 21 st August 2016 15 PHF Management Pledges To Save The Prestigious Moments Of Hockey 16 Rising stars: Domestic Hockey on the boom 17 Condolences 18 Special Thanks
1 st OGDCL HOCKEY 5 A SIDE FLOODLIGHT TOURNAMENT 18 th 25 th June 2016 Pakistan Hockey Federation organized the first ever Hockey 5 A Side Tournament in the country during the holy month of Ramadan at National Hockey Stadium, Lahore from 18th 25th June 2016. Played under flood lights, the tournament was aimed to lure public back to hockey by presenting a new version of the game played on a smaller field over a shorter duration. Hockey 5 is designed for more rapid action, active participation, and equal goal scoring opportunities for every player on the field which provides good entertainment for the spectators. Initiation: Press conference for the launching of the 1st 5 a side tournament was held at the PHF Head Quarters at the National Hockey Stadium, Lahore Secretary PHF, Shahbaz Ahmad in his introductory remarks said that the PHF is doing all the efforts to revive hockey in Pakistan. Launching of 5 a side Hockey is a step in that direction. It should help in enthusing new spirit in the sagging fortunes of our hockey through presenting a faster version of the game. It would hopefully play a role in hockey regaining its past popularity akin to what T20 has done in cricket. Shahbaz especially thanked the OGDCL for extending sponsorship of Rs 10 million for the event, and also for providing jobs to hockey players. Mr. Abdul Rauf, general manager of the OGDCL, also spoke on the occasion and assured the PHF of continuous support of his department in bringing back the former glory.
Prize Money: Total Rs 2.5 million Rupees distributed as follows: Winner Rs 7 hundred thousand, Runner Up Rs 5 hundred thousand, 3rd Position 4 hundred thousand, 4th Position 3 hundred thousand, 5th Position Rs 2 hundred thousand, 6th Position Rs 1 hundred thousand * Plus special awards for Man of Match, Best Player, Best Goal keeper & Top Scorer Hockey 5: Hockey 5 A Side is a revolutionized version of Hockey played on a shorter version pitch with five players in each team. The new version has been devised in lines with the best practices of the traditional version whilst bringing innovation and more physical exertion to the game. The Logo Hockey 5 A Side logo is designed specifically to highlight the concept of the revolutionary concept of short version of Hockey matches. The logo holds a combination of green circle the letter H (meaning Hockey) which is half shaped like a traditional Hockey Stick from the left side representing Pakistan s vast history with the game. Hockey 5 A Side, Salient Features: Duration of Matches: Three periods of 12 minutes each with three minute break. One minute strategic time out. One bonus point for team winning by a margin of six or more goals and one negative point for the team losing by six or more goals Three matches were played each evening from 10 PM to 12.00 Special features: In Pakistan Every moment full of excitement Live Streaming of every match in Youtube More frequent Goal scoring from anywhere, by any player. New Shorter Version of field Hockey
The Teams: In order to enhance the interest level of the young gentry from all over the country, the participating teams were named after prominent cities of Pakistan named as follows: ARY News: Karachi Sharks, Jang Media group: Quetta Warriors, Express News: Faisalabad Falcons City 42: Lahore Lions, Duniya News: Islamabad Fighters News 7: Peshawar Panthers Each team was supported by an individual media channel thus encouraging each channel to provide full coverage to the tournament, leading to increased publicity and viewership. Closing ceremony: Chairman PIA Mr. Azam Saigol graced the closing ceremony of the 1 st OGDCL 5 A Side Hockey floodlight tournament. Mr. Saigol expressed his utmost support to the PHF and shared that currently PIA is making its way through a challenging era and same is the case with PHF. He urged that by working together in unison, both the organization shall once again retain their longed glory and respect at in global settings in near future.
International Olympics Day 23 rd June 2016 The international Olympics Day is celebrated all over world on 23 rd June each year by sports federations of member countries. Pakistan Hockey Federation in this regard, celebrated the Olympics day in a unique manner by organizing exhibition matches in all over the country and an exclusive exhibition match between Media XI and Olympians XI at national Hockey Stadium, Lahore. The occasion was graced by the President of National Olympic Committee (Pakistan) Brig. (r) Arif Hassan making the auspicious celebration a memorable event. The most innovative e feature of the event was the participation of Special Children from different special education schools of Lahore. These children were given the opportunity to not only meet the winning players of 1994 Hockey World Cup but also got to play some hockey with them. It was indeed a heartfelt delight to see the young colorful petals shimmering the event with their smiles. Exhibition Match: In order to make the Olympic Day celebrations more memorable, an exhibition match between Olympians XI and Media XI was held at the National Hockey Stadium with both teams comprising of prominent Olympian medalists including Kamran Ashraf, Muhammad Usman, Khawaja Junaid, Tahir Zaman, Naveed Alam and many more. The action packed match lasted for a thrilling one hour resulting in an outstanding victory of Olympian XI by 3-1.
Celebrity appearances: Notable cricket legends including Mr. Amir Sohail and Ijaz Ahmed showed up at the Stadium to express their support for the game of Hockey and appreciated the initiative taken by Pakistan Hockey Federation. Chief Guest Lt. (r) Arif Hassan (President, National Olympic Committee-Pakistan): The Honorable President of Pakistan Olympic Association, Lt. (r) Arif Hassan beautified the Olympic Day Celebrations with his kind presence. The esteemed guest was hosted by the President Pakistan Hockey Federation, Brig (r) Khalid S. Khokhar and The Secretary General PHF, Mr. Shahbaz Ahmad (H.I) at the National Hockey Stadium Lahore. Lt. (r) Arif Hassan appreciated the steps being taken by PHF for the revival of Hockey in Pakistan and expressed his utmost confidence upon the new management of PHF for making sound improvements in the overall quality and popularity of Pakistan s National game. Talking to the media, President PHF thanked the President of POA for his ever sincere and supportive guidance to PHF.
President Pakistan Olympic Association: Another main feature of this day was the distribution of giveaways to families present in the audience. President POA, President PHF and Secretary General PHF remained present among the general audience and presented memorabilia as a token of remembrance of the occasion. The effort was overall appreciated by prominent stakeholders, members of the audience and the participating players. The tournament has further attracted more fan base to the game; the interest level of the youth is being measured by the amount of turnover during the tournament, Viewership ratings of the TV channels and feedback received by PHF.
HOCKEY STADIUM RENAMED AFTER MAULANA ABDUL SATTAR EDHI 11 th July 2016 President Pakistan Hockey Federation, Brig (R) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar feels honored to announce the renaming of "Hockey Club of Pakistan" (Stadium in Karachi) as "Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium". Maulana Edhi was a great humanitarian, philanthropist and a keen social activist. He masterminded Pakistan's biggest charitable organization single handedly and ran it entirely with private donations making it the biggest Ambulance service in the world. His success story is an inspiration for Pakistan Hockey especially in present times when our country's national game is in dire straits. PHF believes that renaming of Hockey's biggest facility in Abdul Sattar Edhi's home town in his name would be the most appropriate way to pay tribute to our great national hero.
PAKISTANI STARS PLAYING ALL OVER THE WORLD 17 th July Around 25 Pakistani hockey stars appeared for different teams in this year s Bangladesh League. 12 teams competed in the league which ran for two months. The winners Mariner Young included three Pakistanis including double Olympian Waqas Sharif, who also top scored for his side with 17 goals. While the runner up Usha had as many as five Pakistanis in their ranks including the current Pakistan captain M.Irfan Senior and two former Pakistan captains, Shakeel Abbasi and Shafqat Rasool. Pakistani contingent included past and present stars, junior internationals as well as up and coming players. Apart from Pakistan, players from Germany, India and Malaysia were also playing for different clubs. Bangladesh hockey league is a highly competitive event which is keenly followed and attended by the supporters of the clubs. Matches involving top four, Usha, Mohammedan Sporting, Abahani and Mariner, draw vociferous crowds of around 5,000. Pakistani Hockey Stars Rizwan and Rashid Help Oranje Zwart Win the Dutch League The Dutch hockey league is easily the most professionally organized in the world, and also the most followed. This year, Oranje Zwart, the Eindhoven club won the league. Two stars of Pakistan s current national team Rizwan Senior and Mohammad Rashid were members of this victorious team. Interestingly, city s soccer club Eindhoven FC also lifted the title. The city of Eindhoven celebrated the double success. The players of both the hockey and soccer teams were taken to the city centre. Thirty thousand fans had gathered there. First the hockey players ascended and came to the balcony to the thunderous cheers of the crowd. Then the players stepped forward one by one and waved to their jubilant supporters. One hour later soccer team also joined them. The celebrations continued for more than four hours. Rizwan Senior said, It was like a dream. The Dutch really love hockey. Pakistani Olympian helps Dinamo Kazan retain the Russian hockey title. Adnan Maqsood, Pakistani hockey Olympian has been playing for the Dinamo Kazan in the Russian field hockey league for last many years. This year he starred for his side who retained the title. He has also played as a professional in the leagues of Australia, England, India and Bangladesh. Another Pakistani Olympian Imran Warsi, who had been Adnan,s team mate at Dinamo Kazan all the previous years, switched to Dinamo Ekaterinburg this season. Warsi s side finished third. Players from other countries have also been plying their trade in the Russian league. These include, among others, players from top hockey nations such as Netherlands, Germany and India
NATIONAL UNDER 21 TEAM PARTICIPATES IN 4 NATIONS CUP 21 st 24 th July Pakistan under 21 team side participated in the 4-Nation Junior Hockey tournament in Hannover, Germany. The tournament invited 4 selected teams from different countries to participate in a healthy competitive tournament. The green shirts proved their metal against the top three European hockey teams; Germany (reigning World Junior Champions), Netherlands and Belgium. The single league tournament was scheduled from 21st 24th July. Pakistan played against Germany on 21 July, Belgium on 23 July and Netherlands on 24 July. Pakistan Juniors Team: 1. Dilber Hassan (captain), 2. Azfar Yaqoob (vice-captain), 3. Usman Ghani, 4. Atif Mushtaq, 5. Mubashar Ali, 6. Abu Bakar, 7. M.Qasim, 8. Junaid Kamal, 9. Shan Irshad, 10. Atiq Arshad, 11. Bilal Qadir, 12. Rana Suhail, 13. Samiullah, 14. M.Rizwan, 15. Hassan Anwar 16. Faizan Team Officials: 1. Tahir Zaman (manager) 2. Zeeshan Ashraf (coach) Although Pakistan finished 4 th in the tournament, but the exposure of the young talent against top three teams have proven to be an excellent learning opportunity giving Pakistani team a way forward for improving their weaknesses and a guideline towards their approach towards the game.
AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION REP. VISITED PHF HEADQUARTERS 27 th July 2016 Nicole Guihot, first secretary Australian High Commission in Pakistan, has expressed hope that Pakistan hockey can regain its lost prestige. She was at the National Hockey Stadium, Lahore on Wednesday evening to witness a match between two girls' teams. On her arrival, Ms. Guihot was received by secretary Pakistan Hockey Federation, Shahbaz Ahmed and secretary PHF women wing, Mrs. Tanzila Aamer Cheema. The first secretary was happy that the Hockey Australia has assured the PHF about extending support to revive Pakistan's hockey fortunes. The areas of cooperation would include coaching and umpiring. Mr. Shahbaz Ahmad and Mrs. Tanzeela Cheema thanked the first secretary for her interest in Pakistan Hockey and making the trip from Islamabad. Ms. Guihot was also presented with a souvenir
A walk through the history: It was a moment of awe when the esteemed guest Ms. Guihot was given a walk around of the National hockey Stadium in Lahore, where the Secretary general PHF Mr. Shahbaz Ahmad Sr. shared some memorable events that have taken place the very stadium including the 1994 FIH Champion s Trophy which attracted a crowd of more than 80,000. Shahbaz recalled his memories of Australia especially those of his finest hour when he led Pakistan to victory at the 1994 World Cup in Sydney Ms. Nicole Guizot presented with a token of appreciation by Secretary General PHF, Mr. Shahbaz Ahmad Sr. at the National Hockey Stadium, Lahore
SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT: AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH HEAD COACH PAKISTAN JR. NATIONAL TEAM, OLYMPIAN TAHIR ZAMAN The most important international event for Pakistan hockey in the coming days is the junior World Cup in India this December. The recent appearance at the 4- Nation junior tournament in the German city of Hannover was an important part of the preparation for the junior World Cup. The other three contesting sides were the top European hockey nations Germany, Netherlands and Belgium. In their opening fixture, Pakistan went down to the hosts 2-5. It must be remembered that Germany are not only the reigning Junior World Champions but have won an amazing number of six out of the total 10 junior World Cups held so far. In the second game, Pakistan lost to Belgium 2-4 after leading 2-0 at the half time. However, they achieved a 1-1 draw against the formidable Netherlands in their last fixture. Pakistan s former captain Tahir Zaman, the head coach of the national junior side, gives his views about the performance. It was a very important tour for this junior side. The team was raised only one year back. Before this European trip, it had only two international outings, both in Malaysia: Sultan of Johor Cup and the Junior Asia Cup. At the Sultan of Johor Cup, where some of world s best teams participated, we had finished last among the six sides. That was really alarming as within a few weeks, Pakistan had to play the junior Asia Cup which also doubled as the qualifiers for the junior World Cup. We did some serious homework and it paid off. Pakistan had to reach the semi-final to qualify for the junior World Cup. The team did well to finish second. However, a European tour was very essential to prepare the side for the junior World Cup.
Are you satisfied with the performance? The results are apparently not impressive but I am satisfied with the overall performance. Yes, we lost the first two games 2-5 and 2-4. But one has to look at a number of factors. We had problems well before the departure. Our star player Emad Butt, who had captained the team at the Junior Asia Cup, got unfit for the tour. There were serious visa problems. Teams were allowed 20 players at the Hannover tournament. Unfortunately, we could obtain visas for only 16. You know in these days of rolling substitution, all the boys on the bench are utilized. I would say for Pakistan it was 16 against 20 at Hannover. As per the original itinerary, the team was to reach Germany on July 11 and play two matches against the Netherlands junior team in Arnhem at the Dutch/German border plus three games against top German clubs. That would have been an excellent preparation for the event. But the visa complications meant we arrived only on the 19th just two days before the opening fixture against the hosts. Nevertheless, the boys made a good start and also took the lead. Just before the half time, it was 1-1. Unfortunately, one of our players was suspended for 10 minutes. The Germans went ahead and didn t look back. Three of their goals came off penalty corners. In the next match against Belgium, Pakistan s start was even better and at half time they were leading 2-0. The most in-form forward Bilal Qadir, scorer in both the matches, had his nose fractured and took no further part in the tournament. The attacking rhythm got disturbed. Again, the team had a poor second half. Here, I must mention that the first Belgian goal was a highly disputed one. Still, Pakistan should not have come second best after leading by two goals. Pakistan had a bad second half in both the matches. Does that mean the boys lacked in physical fitness? No. The main reason was that the boys didn t follow the game plan throughout. They stuck well to the overall strategy and the individual roles assigned to them in the first half but later lost track. This was mainly due to lack of international experience. The 1-1 draw in the last game against the Netherlands indicates better show. Yes, the boys improved with every game. It also shows team s character. Just one day back, Pakistan had lost after leading by two goals. There was disappointment in the camp. Yet, they came out of it and managed to draw against a strong team. The team was also without Bilal Qadir for this tie. Here, we conceded the lead and scored the equalizer in the dying minutes. That vindicates boys physical fitness as well as fighting spirit.
There were several gains. The team competed well with world s leading sides, at least in patches. The draw against the Netherlands, who were in the race for the top position before the match, should serve as a big confidence booster. What are the grey areas needed to be worked upon? Goal keeping remains a serious concern. Usman Ghani, the only net minder in the squad, was making his international debut in this high profile tourney, and that told. Some soft goals were conceded. As far as penalty corners go, goals were scored via indirect variations and off rebounds but direct conversions need to be worked upon. There was a lot of missing by the forwards who couldn t avail good goal scoring opportunities. I mentioned before that the boys didn t follow the assigned plan the whole duration in the first two matches. They need to be more focused all along. Quick transition from defensive to offensive mode and vice versa as per the situation is a need of today s fast hockey. What are the plans before the junior World Cup? The biggest requirement is international exposure. In August/ September, Pakistan juniors would be touring Spain and Netherlands. Two tests against Spain s junior national team are scheduled in Barcelona while three matches would be played against top clubs of Netherlands. In the first week of November, the team would figure in the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia which has now become the most important annual tournament for the national junior sides. Before that there would be a 3-5 match series with the Pakistan s national side. All this would hopefully enable Pakistan to be well prepared for the big event in India. Ijaz Chaudry Media Manager Pakistan Hockey Federation
FIRST EVER 9-A-SIDE FLOODLIGHT TOURNAMENT ORGANIZED BY PHF 7 th 14 th August 2016 Pakistan Cup 9-A Side Hockey Tournament organized by the Pakistan Hockey Federation began from August 7 in Karachi. All the matches were played at the Abdul Sattar Hockey Stadium with most of the games scheduled in night under floodlights. The teams included country's top departmental sides: PIA, WAPDA, SSGC, National Bank of Pakistan and Customs. A sixth team was also added by the name of PHF Development Squad. The side comprised of highly promising youngsters who are on the fringes of national senior and junior sides. The 9-A-Side matches were of two halves of 20 minute duration each with a five minute interval. The goal posts were put wider. The penalty corners were three vs. four i.e. goal keeper and two defenders defend against four attackers including the injector/pusher. The long corner's format was also different. There were five defenders (including goal keeper) in the goal. While five attackers charged from the 23 meter line. Hence exciting and attacking hockey at a fast pace was witnessed with less stoppages. Each goal was rewarded with a cash prize of five thousand rupees. A wonderful entertainment pack for the people of Karachi. On the opening day, President PHF, Brig (R) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar was the chief guest and the official ceremony for the change of name of the stadium, from Hockey Club of Pakistan to Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium, was held. The tournament was played as a single league followed by the final between the top two teams on August 13. On August 14 a prize distribution ceremony as well as a musical concert was organized.
Secretary General Pakistan Hockey Federation, Shahbaz Ahmad expressed his delight over the success of the Pakistan Cup 9-A Side Tournament in Karachi. It was after a very long time that Karachi saw a hockey activity of this magnitude. The patronage of the Sind government was really commendable as it provided very lucrative cash prizes to the successful teams: Rs. two million to the winners, one million to the runner up and half a million were shared by the two losing semifinalists. On the opening day, Sind Governor, Dr. Ishrat-ul-ibad Khan honored the auspicious event with his presence while the newly appointed Chief Minister, Mr. Murad Ali Shah was the chief guest on the concluding day. It was a nice gesture by the CM to lap the ground along with the winning WAPDA side after the final which was greatly appreciated by the players as well as the spectators. Mr. Murad Ali Shah also promised to upgrade the stadium s facilities such as the players hostel, gymnasium and the swimming pool. During the early days, there were a couple of thousand spectators. The number increased and the final had a huge gathering of around 20,000. There were many families in the crowd as well. Apart from country s prominent departmental sides, two PHF Development Sides also participated in the event. These teams consisted of promising youngsters who have been attending the national senior and junior camps in recent years.
Photo Gallery: Skit presented by young students for Independence Day CM SINDH MR. MURAD ALI SHAH WITH THE WINNING TEAM CAPTAIN
Photo Gallery: THE WINNING TEAM CM SINDH MR. MURAD ALI SHAH AT THE FINAL MATCH OF 9 A SIDE PAKISTAN CUP
29 TH NATIONAL WOMEN CHAMPIONSHIP 5 th 12 th August 2016 Lahore: 29th National Women Hockey Championship began on the 5th of August with the final scheduled on the 12th. All the matches were played at the Naseer Bunda hockey stadium, Islamabad. 11 participating teams were WAPDA, Railways, Army, HEC, Punjab Colors, Punjab Whites, Sind Colors, Sind Whites, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Baluchistan and Islamabad. WAPDA were the defending champions. Railways finished runner up in the last edition. The teams were divided into two pools. The top two sides then qualified for the semi-finals. There were also awards for the Best Player, Best Goal keeper and Top scorer. The event also served as a trial for the next assignment of the national team 4th Women's Asian Hockey Federation Cup in Bangkok, Thailand, to be held from October 1 to 9th. The selection committee comprised of decorated Olympians, Saleem Sherwani and Mussadiq Hussain plus Ms. Chand Parveen watched the girls in action. Saeed Khan and M. Usman, were named manager and coach respectively for the national women team, were also be in attendance. Federal Minister of Inter Provincial Coordination, Mr. Riaz Peerzada was the chief guest for the final.
REMEMBERING THE OLYMPICS 11 th August 2016 11th August was the day, when in 1984, Pakistan won the last of its three golds at the Olympics. Though they were the reigning World Champions but Pakistan was not the favorites. Australia had been the dominating force over the last year or so. Pakistan struggled in the pool games. They remained unbeaten but drew three of the five matches. Their qualification for the semifinal depended upon the result of the last match of their pool, between Netherlands and Kenya. Netherlands had to win by five goals but they managed only a three goals victory. In the semifinal, Pakistan played a spirited game to beat Australia 1-0 with the goal coming from Hasan Sardar, easily the best forward of his time. In the final, Pakistan defeated West Germany 2-1 in extra time. Hasan Sardar and Kalimullah were the scorers. HASSAN SARDAR IN ACTION PAKISTAN RECIEVING GOLD MEDAL AT THE OLYMPICS
Pakistan Juniors Victorious at BCE International Hockey Tournament at Enschede, Netherlands 28 th August 2016 Pakistan under-21 hockey team has won the international tournament in Enchede, Netherlands. Apart from the hosts EHV H.C. and Pakistan under 21, two German sides, Kahlenberg and Raffelberg also participated. In the single league format, all the teams played three matches each over the weekend. The games were of 40 minutes duration with two halves of 20 minutes. Pakistan Jrs. beat the hosts EHV HC in the opening match 4-0 They also won the matches against the two German sides by identical scores of 5-0. Pakistan's scorers in the tournament: (Bilal Qadir 3, Dilber 2,Hassan Anwar 2, Shan Irshad 2, Shakeel Emad Butt, Abu Bakr, Mubashar Ali, Fahad and Atiq Arshad). Thus ends the Netherlands' leg of the tour. The national junior side won all its six matches. It scored 33 goals and conceded five. In the second and the last leg of the tour, the team moves to Spain where they play three matches against their national junior side.
PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN EXTENDS HIS SINCERE SUPPORT TOWARDS HOCKEY Pakistan Hockey Federation is truly indebted to the Government of Pakistan for making sincere efforts for the developing the physical infrastructure of hockey in Pakistan. Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Hon ble Prime Minister of Pakistan/ Patron-in-Chief Pakistan Hockey Federation has announced the laying of synthetic hockey field at Swat Hockey Stadium, while addressing a crowd of peoples. This kind gesture of Hon ble Prime Minister of Pakistan shall encourage talented players of Swat to take part in their national game with pride and honour. This will also provide the PHF an opportunity to establish training camps of senior, junior & women hockey teams at the venue.
PAKISTAN WINS THE OLYMPIC DAY CELEBRATIONS AWARD 21 st August 2016 On Olympic day back on 23 June, Pakistan called on its Olympic stars and national players to inspire the next generation of hockey players and the stars delivered on the Olympic Day. Their efforts not only provided inspiration, they also helped the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) win the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) Olympic Day Activity Award. As a result, Pakistan's National Association will receive funding from the FIH to support development projects within their country over the coming months. The award was initiated by FIH last spring and more than 40 nations responded. The challenge was to come up with a program of hockey activities that would really celebrate Olympic Day and all the ideals associated with the Olympic movement. The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) initiated a number of activities that brought hockey to more than 2,000 participants. These included Hockey5s competitions at the National Hockey Stadium, Lahore. Several Olympic gold medalists turned up to support the project, much to the delight of the people taking part. Members of both the men s and women s national teams were on hand, their presence sent a wave of excitement among the young hockey fans. The events were truly family occasions as the activities catered for all the ages. Officials from the Pakistan Olympic Association, the media and government officials (including Punjab s Minister for Sports) also turned out in numbers a reminder of what a hockey loving country Pakistan is. The message was loud and clear - hockey is an activity that can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of background, and promotes a healthy lifestyle. As well as the activities at the National Stadium, there were also summer camps and hockey competitions in Shadrah town (Lahore), Shaikhupura and in Sukkar. Probably one of the most heartening initiatives introduced by the PHF as part of the Olympic Day was the Hockey5s tournaments organized in two rehabilitation facilities (Wazirabad and Karachi) for patients suffering from drug addiction. The tournament gave patients the chance to participate in a competitive scenario and perhaps to inspire them to lead a healthier, more active life. IOC president Thomas Bach presented Tayyab Ikram, the Pakistani CEO of the Asian Hockey Federation and continental representative, with the award during half-time in the
men's Olympic hockey gold medal match between Argentina and Belgium. On behalf of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, I want to say how proud I am that they have received this award. Pakistan is a nation that is fiercely passionate about its hockey heritage and they also recognize just how important it is to encourage and inspire their young people to get involved in healthy sporting activities. Through Olympic Day, we hope that we not only inspired the hockey stars of the future but also inspired a whole new generation of hockey players of all abilities. Kelly Fairweather, FIH CEO, added: The aim of Olympic Day is for the world to get active, learn about the Olympic Values and discover new sports. A huge number of our National Associations detailed their activity which proved incredibly inspiring, with many innovative projects undertaken. However, Pakistan s entry ticked the boxes in so many ways. They are to be congratulated for their vision and delivery of their Olympic Day activities. Event Poster:
PHF MANAGEMENT PLEDGES TO SAVE THE PRESTIGIOUS MOMENTS OF HOCKEY It is a known fact that Pakistan has a rich history in field hockey and is recognized as a pioneer in the hockey fraternity. The titles won by green shirts have memorable stories of their own. But with the passage of time and technological advancements, many of the hockey heritages is at risk of facing periodical wear and tear and corrosion. The vintage photographs, video tapes, kits and trophies are now being restored and shall be put on display at the PHF headquarters whereas, photographs and videos shall be displayed on the official website (www.pakistanhockeyfederation.com). Below is a glimpse of the photographs recovered:
Rising stars: Domestic Hockey on the boom: It was the dire vision of the new management of PHF to resuscitate hockey in Pakistan at all levels which led to the conception of Vision 2020 a five year journey towards the progress of Hockey during which every issue of hockey in the country shall be addressed and taken care of. As a part of this plan, Pakistan Hockey Federation implemented a country wide visit program identifying potential districts, schools and clubs which require technical guidance and support so as to activate and promote hockey. During the visit, following districts of Pakistan were explored and students of various schools were given guidance and orientation about their National game. - Liaquatpur - Multan - Vehari - Bahawalpur - Sukkar - Khairpur - Hyderabad - Karachi - Nawabshah - Sahiwal - Okara - MangaMandi - Lahore
CONDOLENCES President Pakistan Hockey Federation, Brig (Rtd) Khalid Khokhar and Secretary Shahbaz Ahmad have expressed great grief over passing away of the beloved legend stars that have always remained sincere and committed to their services towards the aggrandizement of Harmony and peace for the world. MRS AIR MARSHAL NUR KHAN PHF grieved over passing away of Mrs. Air Marshal Nur Khan Mrs. Farhat Nur Khan, wife of late Air Marshal Nur Khan. Pakistan Hockey achieved great feats during Air Marshal Nur Khan s two tenures as the president PHF (1967-69 and 1976-84). The green shirts won all the major titles: Olympics, World Cup and Asian Games. Nur Khan was also the person credited with the introduction of hockey World Cup as well as Champions Trophy. MUHAMMAD SHAHID (FORMER INDIAN HOCKEY CAPTAIN) Former Indian hockey captain Mohammad Shahid, breathed his last in Gurgaon, India on 20 th July 2016. He is considered one of India's best to have played the game and was known for his speed and dribbling skills. He was a member of the Indian team that won the gold medal at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. He was awarded Arjuna Award in 1980 1981 and Padma Shri in 1986. He also won silver at the 1982 Asian Games and bronze at the 1986 Asian Games. Mohammad Shahid captained India in 1985-86. Shahbaz Ahmad recalls, Shahid had such an art which I saw in very few players. We played together in the Asian All -Star team in the first Intercontinental tournament. HANIF MUHAMMAD (LEGEND CRICKETER) President Pakistan Hockey Federation, Brigadier (rtd) Khalid S. Khokhar and its Secretary General, Shahbaz Ahmad Sr. have expressed deep grief over passing away of legendary Pakistani cricketer Hanif Mohammad. In a message they paid tribute to Hanif Mohammad, "his services in the first two decades of Pakistan cricket as its premier batsman are unforgettable."
SPECIAL THANKS President PHF Brig. (r) Khalid S. Khokhar and Secretary General PHF Shahbaz Ahmad are pleased to express their heartiest gratitude on behalf of the entire PHF family to the following well-wishers who have invested their extraordinary support to PHF for the development and progress of Hockey in Pakistan. Mr. Leandro Negre President FIH Mr. Leandro Negre has is the current President of International Hockey Federation (FIH) first elected in 2008. Throughout his commendable career, Mr. Negre has remained committed to world hockey through his productive leadership and ever inspirational initiatives, giving Field Hockey a new horizon towards progress and development. Mr. Muhammad Azam Saigol Chairman, PIA Mr. Muhammad Azam Saigol, Chairman of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited has never overlooked any opportunity to benefit the National Game of Pakistan in any manner possible. PIA has nourished a large number of prominent players throughout the country. Moreover, the exclusive support and guidance of Mr. Saigol for introducing Hockey 5 A Side for the first time ever in Pakistan during the 1 st OGDCL Hockey 5 A Side floodlight tournament has paved the way forward for the young talent to discover their potential and give a new life to Hockey in Pakistan. Mr. Abdul Rauf General Manager OGDCL The 1 st OGDCL Hockey 5 A Side Floodlight tournament was the first time ever that a hockey 5 A Side match had been introduced in Pakistan. The tournament gained much popularity among the fan base and has shown positive signs for the progress of hockey in the country. This challenging initiative could not have been possible without the timely support of Mr. Adbul Rauf who as the GM of Oil & Gas Development Corporation Limited extended his kind support for the rejuvenation of hockey in Pakistan.
Lt General (rtd) Arif Hasan President Pakistan Olympic Association Hockey is the only game in Pakistan which has brought three Olympic gold medals to Pakistan. Out of total 10 medals so far, Pakistan have won 8 medals from Field Hockey alone. The time tested support of POA has always enabled Pakistan in gaining prominent victories at the Olympics. Lt. General (r) Arif Hasan also extended his kind support during the 1 st OGDCL Hockey 5 A Side floodlight tournament during which Pakistan Hockey Federation celebrated the International Olympics Day on 23 rd June 2016. The event was graced with the presence of President POA and his support to the players gave a boost to their moral and spirits. Mr. Tayyab Ikram CEO Asian Hockey Federation Mr. Tayyan Ikram is a name worth mentioning whenever the development of Hockey in Pakistan comes into discussion. Mr. Ikram has been associated with Asian hockey Federation as its respected President for past few years and has never left any stone unturned in contributing his share for Hockey at Asia Level. He has assisted Pakistan Hockey Federation in devising its plan for rejuvination and development entitled Vision 2020.. Mr. Shahid Razzak Sikka CEO (Happilac) KARSS Paint Industries Pvt. Ltd. Pakistan is currrently facing a time of trial and tests for the national game of our country is in a diar need of support (both economical and social) to gain its lost glory. In these testing times, only a few patriotic well-wishers came forward to lend their support to the national federation, among whom Mr. Shahid Razzak Sikka (CEO Happilac) stands prominent with his kind support and trust in the new management of PHF, thus ensuring the successful revival of hockey in Pakistan.
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