ISLAMABAD, MAY 19 (DNA): Pakistan hockey is showing strong signs of revival and institutional recovery following sweeping reforms introduced by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) under the guidance of the Government of Pakistan and Prime Minister of Pakistan, who is also Patron-in-Chief of the federation.
In a press release issued by the PHF Media Cell, the federation highlighted several landmark achievements recorded in recent months.
Among the most notable milestones was the successful staging of the National Under-18 Hockey Tournament in Islamabad after a prolonged hiatus. The championship drew 15 teams from across the country, providing a competitive platform for emerging talent and signalling a renewed commitment to grassroots development.
On the international front, Pakistan’s national team delivered an encouraging performance at the Hockey World Cup qualifying event in Cairo, reaching the final and securing a coveted berth in the upcoming Hockey World Cup, a breakthrough that restored confidence among hockey followers after years of struggle.
To strengthen technical expertise, the PHF inducted several former Olympians and distinguished hockey personalities into key coaching, selection, player development and management roles. Prominent figures including Islahuddin Siddiqui, Samiullah Khan, Hasan Sardar, Manzoor Senior, Khawaja Junaid, Ayaz Mehmood, Qamar Ibrahim, Rehan Butt, Nasir Ali and Naeem Akhtar have been assigned responsibilities across the senior, junior and under-18 programmes.
The federation has also intensified efforts to mobilise financial resources to ensure smooth participation in major international events, including the Cairo qualifiers, Junior Asia Cup in Japan, Pro League engagements in England and Belgium, and preparations for the Hockey World Cup in the Netherlands later this year.
In a significant step for player welfare, daily allowances for players and team management during international tours have been raised to USD 110 per day — described by the PHF as the largest such increase in Pakistan hockey history.
The education sector has been formally integrated into the revival programme through coordination with the Inter-Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC) and educational boards nationwide. Under a school hockey activation initiative, at least 500 schools across Pakistan will receive hockey kits within the next three months. The programme targets students from Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, encouraging organised hockey and utilisation of available AstroTurf facilities.
The PHF has expanded its corporate outreach, with Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) continuing its support, Alaska Batteries joining as a new partner for hockey promotion initiatives, and Sky 47 providing technological and analytical assistance including modern performance monitoring tools.
The PHF management acknowledged that transformative change cannot be achieved overnight, but affirmed that the two-year roadmap for Pakistan hockey’s recovery remains firmly on track. Improvements have already been recorded in training standards, athlete fitness, nutrition, gymnasium and swimming facilities, recovery systems, video analysis and exposure to international best practices.
The federation concluded that rebuilding a globally competitive hockey structure demands patience, continuity and institutional backing and that Pakistan hockey has now entered a phase of structured recovery and forward momentum across governance, technical development, athlete welfare and grassroots promotion.
