ISLAMABAD: Advisor to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Rana Mashood Ahmed Khan has revealed that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) will coordinate with Pakistan to attract international players for the country’s inaugural Pakistan Hockey League, describing the initiative as a major step towards restoring the national game to its former glory.
Speaking on the occasion of a Defence Day hockey match featuring girls, Rana Mashood said the government was putting in place a comprehensive mechanism to revive hockey from the grassroots level and provide talented youngsters with opportunities to represent Pakistan at the international stage.
“We are going to launch a talent hunt across Pakistan and, at the conclusion of the programme, organise a hockey league,” he said. “FIH will be our partner in the league’s draft, while international players will also be brought to Pakistan.”
He said the government was determined to revive Pakistan’s national game and create a sustainable pathway for talented players. “The Prime Minister has always talked about the revival of hockey. Now the process has started and Pakistan’s victories on hockey fields at home and abroad will continue,” he added.
Rana Mashood said merit and talent would remain the fundamental criteria for selecting and promoting players. “We are providing our players opportunities to come forward on merit and giving our boys and girls a chance to progress on the basis of their talent,” he said.
He said a comprehensive grassroots structure was being developed to train young players across the country. Hockey kits were being distributed in different parts of Pakistan, while arrangements were also being made to bring coaches from the Netherlands to train boys and girls.
“Mohiuddin Wani has played an important role in the revival of hockey,” Rana Mashood said, adding that the government was also providing international exposure to Pakistani teams and sending young players abroad for training.
He revealed that Pakistani girls will be sent to the Netherlands in March for specialised training, while further opportunities were being explored to expose the country’s emerging talent to international standards.
