LAHORE: Federal Min­is­ter for Inter-provincial Coordination Ehsan Ur Rehman Mazari has released a cheque of Rs25 million to the Pakistan Hockey Federation for national team’s participation in this year’s Asian Champions Trophy being held in Chennai in August, a PHF official said on Tuesday.

PHF secretary Haider Hussain said the timely issuance of the grant was important noting Pakis­tan’s participation in the Asian Champions Trophy and the 2023 Asian Games was crucial to play the qualifying rounds for the World Cup as well as the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has warned the PHF of a [possible] ban in case of the country’s non-participation in the Asian Champions Trophy as well as cash penalty. Therefore, I was busy in raising funds to ensure the team’s participation [in the continental event],” Haider told Dawn on Tuesday.

The six-nation Asian Champions Trophy will be held from Aug 3-12.

“As PHF secretary, I held a meeting with IPC minister Ehsan-ur-Rehman [on Tuesday] to apprise him about the importance of Pakistan playing in the Asian Champions Trophy; I am thankful to the minister for issuing the cheque in this connection,” the secretary added.

As regards the Sept 23-Oct 8 Asian Games in Guangzhou, the government has the responsibility to hold training camps and arrange air travel for the national squad.

On whether the Rs25 million were enough to meet the national camp expenses and

the squad’s visit to Chennai, the secretary said the PHF would seek more funds from private sponsors noting at least Rs40 million were required only to meet the expenditures for the camp, which started in Lahore on June 12.

“It will be a three-month camp in which initially 45 players are attending. Therefore, a huge amount of Rs40 million is needed for this camp only,” the PHF secretary emphasised.

While disclosing that the PHF had already confirmed its participation in the Asian Champions Trophy, Haider hoped the government would allow the national team to visit Chennai for the said event.

Pakistan, the PHF secretary reckoned, had significant chances to clinch the Asian Champions Trophy as the boys were showing passion at the camp.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2023