KARACHI, Aug 28: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Monday pushed the national sport further into turmoil after disallowing Sindh’s participation in the Governor’s Gold Cup on secretary Akhtarul Islam’s directives.

The Sindh team officials, staging a strong protest at the Gold Cup venue, said they were forced to vent their anger and frustration against the PHF and the organizers after being deprived of taking part in the tournament in Faisalabad.

The team officials held several placards against Akhtar during the Wapda-Pakistan Army opening match at Faisalabad Hockey Stadium, showing their indignation over what they called ‘injustice against Sindh’.

Team manager Saleem Rao, giving details, said the Sindh outfit had reached Faisalabad by air on Monday morning to compete in the all-Pakistan tourney but was denied a chance to play by organizing secretary Rana Mujahid who conveyed to them the directives of the PHF secretary.

“Rana Mujahid told us that PHF secretary Akhtarul Islam asked him not to allow Sindh to participate. He said this was being done since a Sindh Hockey Association (SHA) case was still in court.

“It was an absurd reason,” lamented Saleem. “There is no such case in court from the Sindh Hockey Association (SHA) nor from PHF against us. It is nothing but sheer injustice. We spent almost Rs 150,000 to bring our 18-member team here by air and all we get is a ban,” a furious Saleem told Dawn from Faisalabad.

Saleem, also the secretary of SHA, said his association had confirmed its entry in the tournament following an invitation for all the provinces by the organizers of the event. Since there was no official word from the organizers regarding the SHA status, Saleem said, the SHA flew its team for the competition.

“Rana said he had asked Akhtar several times on the phone to allow participation to Sindh but the PHF secretary categorically said not to allow us at any cost,” the manager said.

The angry Sindh officials came off the sidelines and ended their protest only after they were pacified by director marketing PHF, Naveed Haider. “We stopped the protest only after Naveed (Haider) spoke to us and said that he would personally ask Akhtar, who is scheduled to come to Faisalabad on Tuesday, to let Sindh play,” Saleem said.

Team coach Azeem Khan said the SHA had recently held a Jashn-i-Azadi Festival hockey tournament in which Chief Minister Sindh Arbab Rahim was the chief guest.

“If PHF thinks Sindh has no right to play then why did it allow a tournament in which 12 districts, including Karachi, took part from Sindh. It was this tournament from which we selected the Sindh players for the Faisalabad event,” the coach said.

Former secretary Brig Musarrat Ullah Khan had created a mess when he refused to accept the results of March 12 Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) polls in which Zafar Iqbal and Gulfaraz Ahmad were elected unopposed as president and secretary.

Instead, Musarrat formed a five-member committee to take care of Karachi hockey affairs, while Akhtar was appointed its convener. The elected KHA officials finally moved court and the Sindh High Court on March 23 restrained PHF from interfering into the KHA affairs till the next date of hearing.

Interestingly, Akhtar, who claims himself an “uncontroversial personality” was very much at the centre of this row and is one of the respondents as well. In his order, the Sindh High Court Justice Mushir Alam wrote that according to bailiff’s report Akhtar was reported to be present in the Hockey Club of Pakistan but bailiff was not allowed entry and was given wrong information of his non-availability.

Sindh coach Azeem also pointed out that quite amazingly, Gulfaraz was announced as chief guest on the opening day of the Faisalabad event despited being the KHA secretary.