Govt Efforts For Hockey Revival Will Bear Fruit In Future

Muhammad Irfan Published May 19, 2024 | 02:20 PM

MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th May, 2024) Future of national game hockey is bright and Pakistani team will bring good name to the country in days ahead due to incumbent govt efforts.

National hockey play Safeer Hussain Naqvi told APP on Sunday that Punjab Government had opened heart for the team by announcing Rs 30 million and best facilities for it which had boosted the morale of the playing after winning silver medal in recently concluded Azlan Shah hockey tournament.

"Winning a medal after 13 years in an international recent is harbinger of good days of hockey for Pakistan."

"Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz opened up her heart to encourage and honour our national team which has really boosted team morale. " Safeer Hussain Naqvi remarked.

He lamented that past government of PTI had abolished departmental games adding that which rendered players jobless whereas,m Pakistan Army, Air Force, Navy and WAPDA had kept hockey alive.

The national hockey players informed, "Several academies are training players in Lahore, Multan and other cities which is a good omen for producing talented players."

Pakistan Hockey team captain Ammad Shakil Butt has rightly pointed that PTI government had destroyed hockey, he said and added that incumbent Federal and Punjab governments were very serious in lifting the national game.

Hannan Shahid falls among the beat players of Asia while Rana Waheed and Arshad Liaqat are budding players.

Naqvi regretted that Hockey Foundation had no finances to send the team for FIH Pro League which resulted in huge fine on Pakistan hockey for not attending the league.

"The more international matches our players will participate, the more exposure they will get which will help improve their performance in future." he hoped.

"In next two-three years, Pakistan hockey will improve a lot," the player concluded.

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