LAHORE, Dec 24: Pakistan will host the first ever Asian Champions Trophy hockey next year and the Pakistan Hockey Federation has already introduced the idea to the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and the Asian Hockey Federation for the same.

This was stated by President PHF, Qasim Zia at a news conference on Wednesday here.

Flanked by Secretary PHF, Asif Bajwa and International Hockey Federation’s manager coaching development, Tayyab Ikram, Qasim who returned after attending AHF congress and council meetings in Kuala Lumpur recently said the Asian body has welcomed suggestions of holding a high-profile hockey tournament of elite Asian nations on the pattern of Champions Trophy, which was also introduced by Pakistan in 1978.

“The AHF highly appreciated the idea and allocated inaugural edition to Pakistan which is a big honour for us. It will be organised after summer next year. AHF also allocated to Pakistan the qualifying rounds of World Junior Cup for women in 2010,” he added.

The PHF chief said allocation of two international tournaments reposed AHF confidence in Pakistan. “Pakistan will have mass representation in all twelve committees of AHF due to the efforts of PHF.”

Qasim Zia said it is for the first time that the AHF agreed to give representation to Pakistan in its all committees. “We convinced AHF to give Pakistan maximum representation in its committees.”

PHF will also launch a hockey revival programme by holding open trials for all eleven regional academies which will start functioning across the country from next month. Provincial selection committees have been formed to supervise trials from January 1-7, after which academies will become functional.

He said he was satisfied with the performance of women team which finished 8th in the recent Asia Junior Cup in Malaysia. “It is too early to expect good results as team is in process of taking shape. We have decided to give national seniors, junior women hockey teams ample opportunity to play competitive hockey at home and abroad.”

The International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) Coaching Manager, Tayyab Ikram said short cut measures and ad-hoc action let Pakistan hockey down in past few years and there was dire need to have consistency to continue the development programme in PHF.

“As an FIH hockey expert I firmly believe that it is the need of hour to continue the development plans and the steps taken by the present regime of PHF, headed by Qasim Zia, to lift hockey out of shambles and to ensure a better tomorrow of Pakistan hockey are commendabl,” said the Lahore-born Ikram.

“Another reason of Pakistan’s decline in hockey is handling of hockey affairs was non qualified coaches who have no latest or modern knowledge of the coaching, rules and the game,” he said.—Agencies