LAHORE, March 27: Chief selector Islahuddin Siddiqui has expressed his utter surprise and shock over the Pakistan Hockey Federation’s decision of announcing the names of 33 probables for the forthcoming national senior training camp on Thursday without bringing it into the selection committee’s notice.

“I know nothing as to who picked the probables and why the entire selection committee has been sidelined in announcing the names of the probables,” the former Olympian told Dawn on Thursday.

The probables will report to chief coach Khawaja Zakauddin on April 8.

Pakistan will take part in the eight-nation Azlan Shah Cup to be held at Ipoh, Malaysia from May 8 to 18 before undertaking a European tour.

“I just came to know about the PHF announcement from you and neither I nor the members of the selection committee — Samiullah and Mudassar Asghar — are aware of this development,” Islahuddin told this reporter.

“In the afternoon I had a chat with Zakauddin who informed me that the PHF will send me a list of probables to give final touches, but it is surprising and shocking for me that the list has been released to the media,” he added.

“I will talk to the PHF president for bypassing the entire selection committee and after that I will announce my next course of action,” he asserted.

Islahuddin was recently replaced as head coach in mysterious circumstances and said he was quite satisfied with his new role assigned to him by the PHF President Zafarullah Khan Jamali.

Islahuddin’s change of role did not trigger any controversy, but the PHF’s action on Thursday could spark off another crisis on the national hockey front.

“I am busy with the national junior team selection here in Karachi and surprised why the PHF was in a hurry to announce the probables, while the camp is still 12 days away,” he said, lamenting, “I was in Karachi and not out of the country and there was no need for taking a unilateral decision.”

The junior team is to tour South Africa next month to play a seven-match series against the hosts.

Islahuddin dispelled the impression that he had any confrontation-like situation with any top official of the PHF.

“I have no problem with anyone and of course, it is unbelievable for me to accept the way my selection committee has been bypassed,” he said. “I believe in the principle that let the selection committee do its work independently and the team management its own.”

It may be mentioned here that when Islahuddin, earlier this month, sent his selected team for the tour of China to the PHF president for final approval, after concluding the trials in Lahore, the president, sitting in Karachi, delayed it for one day, caring little that media personnel were waiting at the National Hockey Stadium for the team’s announcement.

“We have sent the team to the PHF president and I can’t say at the moment when he will send it back to us for announcement,” Islahuddin had told the press at that time.

However, Islahuddin was not ready to accept that the delay at that time was an indication that the PHF president didn’t have complete faith in him.

“No. I believe the PHF president has only delayed the announcement due to his other important meetings despite bad health,” he said.

Following probables were announced for the training camp:

NBP: Salman Akbar, Zeeshan Ashraf, Mohammad Ateeq, Sumair Saleem, Abdul Haseem Khan, Fasi-ur-Rehman.

Army: Mohammad Imran, Shahid Saleem, Waqas Zafar, Azhar Iqbal, Mohammad Arshad.

SSGC: Sajjad Anwar, Shakeel Abbasi, Shabbir Khan, M. Javed, Abbas Haider.

PIA: Nasir Ahmed, Mohammad Irfan, Waqas Akbar, Shafqat Rasool, Mohammad Zubair.

Wapda: Shakir Munir, M. Waqas Sharif, Rehan Butt, Waqas Liaquat, Nadeem Ahmed, Khurram Butt.

ABL: Mohammad Saqlain.

Steel Mills: Kamran Ahmed.

PAF: Saeed Shah.

Quetta: Mohammad Amin.

HBL: Fareed Ahmed.

Gujranwala: Khalil Ahmed.