KARACHI, July 26: Former hockey captain Hanif Khan on Saturday lashed out at Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), saying it has promoted the player power by recalling Sohail Abbas, Waseem Ahmad and humiliated ex-team manager Shahnaz Sheikh.

“PHF has adopted double standards by inviting Sohail and Waseem who should have been dropped from the Champions Trophy squad. At the same PHF has disgraced a hockey stalwart Shahnaz by holding inquiry against him,” he said.

The former striker was reacting over PHF’s decision of calling up the two players who went to play in professional league in Germany after defying PHF orders to stay for the training camp.

Shahnaz, an outstanding player of yesteryear, was cleared of charges of instigating the pair to play abroad before the tour of Australia where team participated in two three-nation contests.

While the PHF welcomed Sohail and Waseem with open arms after imposing merely Rs0.1million fines despite one-year ban recommendation by its inquiry committee, it had suspended Mohammad Nadeem for the Australian trip as a punishment.

Nadeem, who also went to Germany, returned midway through the league and tendered unconditional apology, but did not escape the PHF’s wrath.

Hanif said since the PHF gave Nadeem a harsh treatment, it should not have taken a mild action against Sohail and Waseem who did not bother to return before the break in league.

Hanif said as now Shahnaz had been exonerated PHF should invite him to take the charge again as the manager and added it was a victory for undisciplined players and ignominy for a star.

“It is PHF’s strange ways that Shahnaz quit as he was disturbed. PHF ordered a probe against him which was humiliating. Now it is PHF’s duty to ask Shahnaz to take over the job of manager and restore his pride,” he said.

Hanif blasted PHF for humiliating former skipper Mohammad Sarwar by calling him up for the training camp, trials and then forcing him to announce retirement before naming the Champions Trophy squad.

The former coach said not only the forward-line needed experienced Sarwar, the way the PHF had treated the striker was cruel, injustice and painful for a player.

“This is not the way our national heroes should be treated. If the PHF had decided that Sarwar should be ousted then it should not have called him up for the training camp.

“If PHF or the selectors wanted to induct youngsters then why youthful Aqeel Khan, Imran Rasool, and Shakeel Abbasi have been dropped. If PHF thinks Sarwar has gone down the hill then why aging Ahmad Alam, (Mohammad) Saqlain and Nadeem are in the squad,” he questioned.

Hanif, also a former selector, said the selection committee was nothing but a body based on quota system. “The selection committee has been formed on the basis of quota system. Akhtar Rasool, Saleem Nazim are from Punjab, Hassan Sardar from Sindh, Saeed Khan from NWFP, and there would have been a member from Balochistan had it any prominent player.”

Hanif believed that it would be an exercise in futility to infuse young blood at this juncture as the clock was ticking and Athens Olympics were barely an year away.

He said if PHF could gamble on aging former left-in Shahbaz Ahmad by giving him a call even after installing him as coach, Sarwar could have been utilised in patches.

“Shahbaz was a coach when he was re-inducted into the Champions Trophy squad in 2001. He had staged comeback after two years, while Sarwar is still fit. India have been preparing their squad since 2001 and now they are reaping the results.

“I fail to understand how young players could be groomed for Olympics within few months. PHF should have axed the five or six senior players after last year’s World Cup. Now there is no time for experimentation. It will be a miracle if our team reaches victory stand at Champions Trophy next month,” he remarked.