KARACHI, Dec 15: Asif Bajwa, Secretary of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), said on Monday that the federation’s decision of not sending its senior team to India to play in the four-nation tournament in Chandigarh and Jalandhar next month is not final.

“We are all for the uplift of Asian hockey and our participation in the Indian tournament featuring Germany and the Netherlands, besides the hosts, depends on India’s agreeing to play in Pakistan as well. It should all be bilateral,” said the former player, manager and coach.

He was speaking to Dawn while inspecting the new NBP Sports Complex here in Clifton along with Olympian Rana Mujahid and former Test cricketer Iqbal Qasim, on the eve of his departure to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he is to attend the day-long Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Congress on Dec 20 and the coaching and umpiring workshops preceding the moot.

Bajwa, who would also be joined in Kuala Lumpur by PHF President Qasim Zia on the Dec 19, said they would be meeting Aslam Sher Khan of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) the second time in a month, as they met only recently at Los Angeles, US, during the International Hockey Federation (FIH) congress in November. “But a lot has happened during this while. This time we will be meeting after the Mumbai terror attacks,” said Bajwa.

The AHF Congress would also provide PHF’s secretary and president with another opportunity to rub shoulders with the other Asian hockey federation officials including those of China, Korea and Malaysia. “We want to persuade them to tour Pakistan just as we are willing to play in their countries. We want to show that it is safe to hold tournaments here [in Pakistan].

“We are also hopeful of being invited by Malaysia to play in their junior home series in February,” added Bajwa.

Among other things, the congress will also be announcing dates for the Asia Cup, which would serve as the qualifying event for the World Cup.

Meanwhile, a three-member delegation comprising international hockey umpire Rashad Mahmood Butt, coach Mohammad Akhlaq and Olympian Rana Mujahid were scheduled to leave for Kuala Lumpur on Monday night to attend the workshops on coaching and umpiring to be held there from Dec 17 to 19.

“We will be holding an FIH coaching and umpiring clinic in Lahore too on Dec 24 and attending the AHF workshops would help us further in getting acquainted with the FIH concepts that would pave the way for Pakistan’s being awarded world-level tournaments,” said Bajwa.

Although Rana, Rashad and Akhlaq would return soon after the conclusion of the workshops, Bajwa and Qasim are expected back on Dec 23.