KARACHI, Sept 15: While the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) always complains of paucity of funds, it will be sending at least 16 officials to Kuala Lumpur.

Apart from the 23-member squad, no fewer than 16 officials will be in the Malaysian capital where team will take part in the Asia Cup starting from Sept 21.

Pakistan team will have 18 members, while five officials are, manager Abdul Rashid Jr, coach Tahir Zaman, physiotherapist Derek Verder, Dr Waqar and video analyst Qamar Ibraheem.

Among the “officials”, there will be no less than six individuals who have been accommodated as “observers”, while the remaining attend “coaches course” or the “meetings” of various committees of the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF).

According to information gathered, Col Asif Naz, Ghulam Ghous, Malik Wadan, Waqar Maroof, Pervaiz Bhindhara, and Capt Ali, will be in Kuala Lumpur as “observers”.

Col Asif is a brother of sacked team manager Brig Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, Ghulam Ghous belongs to Punjab, Wadan is the secretary of NWFP Hockey Association, Pervaiz is chairman of PHF protocol committee, and Capt Ali is the PHF office secretary.

The most interesting rather the saddest part of the story is that Waqar has no connection with hockey and is the president of the NWFP Boxing Association.

Col Sikandar Ghuman and Major Ayaz Rasool, who both belong to Pakistan Army, have been chosen for “coaches course”.

PHF has spent huge amount on the training of individuals and has sent several coaches abroad in the past without getting any benefit.

Few months back, former Olympians Ayaz Mahmood and Qamar Ibraheem, had been sent to Perth, Australia, for International Hockey federation (FIH) coaches course. Ayaz quit saying he had no time for hockey, while Qamar has been associated with the team as “video analyst.”

Chowdhry Ashraf, who has retired from service with Customs almost a decade ago, will attend AHF umpiring committee meeting, whereas Saleem Nazim will take part in the AHF coaching committee.

Ironically, former PHF president Akhtar Rasool, who heads the present selection committee, will also tour to “observe” team’s performance. Interestingly, both Akhtar and Saleem, who is also a national selector, never bother to visit the national training camps for the international tournaments.

Iftikhar from Bahawalpur will act as umpire, while some four “journalists” will accompany the squad to cover the event.

All the above mentioned “officials” will travel on PHF’s expenses, while federation will also be offering the facility of boarding and lodging to some of them too.

Interestingly, PHF has recently refused manager Rashid’s proposal to include two more players to the 18-man squad to give the youngsters international exposure.

Shahid Ali Khan, the assistant coach who trained the goalkeepers throughout the training camp in Lahore for Asia Cup, has also been shown the door, saying only four officials are allowed by the organizers.