ISLAMABAD, Oct 29: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Sports has asked the former Olympians to opt for a 'reconciliatory path' to save the future of hockey in the country.

The committee which met here at the Pakistan Sports Complex with Iqbal Mohammad Ali Khan in the chair.

The NA body also recommended that former Olympians and PHF's management should sit together after the upcoming Asian Games to engineer a solution which could help rebuild Pakistan's global hockey image.

The former Olympians and PHF's management later agreed to opt for a neutral approach against each other after a three-hour lengthy committee session.

Former hockey stalwarts Islahauddin, Shehnaz Sheikh, Samiullah and Naveed Alam had criticised the PHF management, especially secretary Asif Bajwa.

The committee also took notice of an audit observation still pending against Shehnaz Sheikh and Naveed Alam and called on the federation's management for an early recovery of the outstanding amount pending against the two.

Astonishingly, Pakistan's Dutch coach Michael van den Heuvel, who will stay with the team till 2012 London Olympics, was also present on the back benches in the committee room, as his appointment was slammed by most of the former Olympians.

“There is only one way forward and that is reconciliation between the former Olympians and the PHF management, else ensuring a better future of Pakistan hockey is not possible,” said Mr Iqbal, who stressed on greater need of patience on both the sides.

With Asif Bajwa continually claiming that he has never uttered a negative word against the former hockey greats, PHF president Qasim Zia and former Olympian Akhtar-ul-Islam pointed out that sincerity of Olympians would ensure a better future of Pakistan hockey.

“I have never made a critical case against the former Olympians nor am I siphoning anything from the PHF's finances. All the records are available in the audit report,” Bajwa said.

“The federal government's financial injection is Rs140 million only and its never Rs500 million as stated by several critiques,” he insisted.

Former Olympians Akhtar-ul-Islam and Islahuddin exchanged satire.

“If they [former Olympians] get sincere everything will be fine,” said Akhtar.

However, former hockey captain Islah said: “We always want hockey to row on better lines and tried to critically analyse the game.”

He said that they [PHF management] have a clean chit for the Asian Games and would refrain from passing critical comments against the federation.

Though, PHF president Qasim Zia asserted that PHF's management has nothing to do with the team performance and its micro affairs.

Zia pointed out: “The hockey team selection committee is independent and everything is shuttling between the coach, players and the team management while elected secretary and president has nothing to do with the affairs of the hockey team.”

Though, Shehnaz Sheikh said that team's performance was much better during his tenure and claimed that he had continually sent letters to the federation informing them over the steps needed to arrest the decline of hockey.

Former Olympian Naveed Alam stitched to financial and managerial concerns related to the current PHF management.

Alam's arguments were countered by Zia and Bajwa who insisted that if they were not doing a better job than he [Alam] should opt for a constitutional way which is to get elected through club and divisional elections, and convey his concerns in the elected Congress of the federation.