KARACHI, Nov 15: International hockey will return to Pakistan with the holding of the inaugural World Hockey Series here in 2013. This was announced by Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Asif Bajwa at the Hockey Club of Pakistan (HCP) here on Monday soon after his arrival in the city from Montreux, Switzerland, where he attended the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Congress from Nov 6 to 14.

“I have come back with a good news for the country, the hockey community and the lovers of the sport here that the PHF now has a seat in the FIH Executive Committee after winning the Executive Board elections by the biggest margin despite contesting the Executive Board elections for the first time,” he said.

“I am glad to report that PHF President Qasim Zia will now represent the country at the FIH for the next four years. But this is not all. The FIH, as an acknowledgment of our development efforts here, has also awarded Pakistan the first edition of the World Hockey Series to be held here in 2013,” he added.

Bajwa also reported that the FIH Executive Board reached several other important decisions including the dissolution of all the FIH committees in favour of continental committees. “The continental federations will be given more authority, putting us in a better position for playing our role for the promotion and betterment of the game in Asia, and the world, too, for that matter,” he informed.

To a question about the revival of the bilateral series here, Bajwa said: “Yes, we hope to revive it both at the senior and junior level by next year for which we are also engaged in talks with several countries, though it would be rather premature to say which ones at the moment.”

He added: “Right now our biggest problem is to find the right windows for inviting them over, which will require maneuvering around the playing calendars of all the countries while also taking into account suitable weather conditions for them all.”

About the 2013 World Hockey Series, Bajwa said that it will change the Olympic and World Cup qualifying system. “Featuring the top 20 or 30 teams of the world, it would offer a great opportunity for exposure to the smaller teams. The initial rounds would define the different standards, putting the stronger sides and the not-so-strong teams in different pools. The system of qualification will be put into gear for the 2014 World Cup though it will be slightly early to determine the teams for the 2012 Olympics,” he said.

Mention of the 2012 Olympics also brought up the matter of Pakistan’s getting gold in the Asian Games currently underway in Guangzhou, China, in order to reserve a berth at the London Olympics. “The PHF has used much of its resources to build a strong side for the Asiad. We got the best coach and physio for the boys along with so many other facilities for them in order to ensure a good performance from them at the Asian Games,” he said.

To a question he said that even though drag flicker Sohail Abbas was part of the Asian Games hockey squad, the federation was in no rush to give him back his central contract. “The PHF selection committee has nothing to do with disciplinary matters. We don’t compromise on discipline no matter how good a player we are dealing with. So we will only think about restoring Sohail’s central contract after getting an explanation from him, which he is yet to submit,” he pointed out.

About the Rs120 million grant announced for the federation by its patron Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani before the World Cup this year, he said that it had got the required approval but was yet to be deposited in the PHF account.

Meanwhile, throwing light on the forthcoming National Games issue where the national sport has been excluded from the event along with many other outdoor sports, Bajwa asserted that there will be no National Games without hockey.