‘Flying Horse’ Samiullah symbolizes Pakistan’s golden era in hockey

By Syed Khalid Mahmood 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

It’s time for Samiullah Khan, the living legend of field hockey, to light another candle on his birthday cake. His name has become synonymous with Pakistan’s golden era in the national sport. The Flying Horse, most appropriately titled for his incredible speed, is always found full of energy which he has successfully retained because of his healthy habits and excellent work ethics. 

Samiullah’s mention takes us back to the 1970s and early 1980s when Pakistan ruled the hockey world. Those were the times when all other teams, including Europeans, were under the awe of the green-shirted Pakistanis for whom sky seemed to be the limit. Such was the dominance of the star-studded Pakistan outfits that they were household names wherever the sport was played. 

The team was packed with superstars but left-winger Samiullah stood out because of sheer brilliance. His lightening crosses paralyzed the most formidable of defence lines and he was simply unstoppable even when confronted by the tightest of markings. 

His remarkable ball control with enormous speed was a rare and lethal combination which allowed him to penetrate the defenders at will. With his thrilling runs, body dodges and large leaps he posed the toughest challenge for the opponents. There was indeed something magical about him which made him the most valuable player of his generation. 

Having represented the country in 155 matches, he scored 55 international goals but what the statisticians won’t be able to tell you is the fact that he was instrumental in the scoring of many more goals through his fellow forwards. He was the architect of many famous victories to leave an indelible mark on the sport. 

Irrespective of the number of medals and trophies he earned, it was his impact which created numerous scoring opportunities and paved the way for the country to register victories with unmatchable frequency. It was a pity that his solitary appearance in Olympic Games came at Montreal in 1976 as Pakistan boycotted the 1980 Olympic Games at Moscow and he was forced to hang his boots before the 1984 Olympic Games which took place at Los Angeles. 

He, however, featured in three editions of the World Cup, starting from Kuala Lumpur in 1975 where he hit headlines as Pakistan won silver medal. He continued to star in the next couple of World Cups at Buenos Aires (1978) and Bombay (1982) where Pakistan clinched gold medals. 

He enjoyed even better record in Asian Games, as the country won gold medals on all three occasions, Tehran (1974), Bangkok (1978) and New Delhi (1982). Pakistan also captured gold medal in the 1980 Champions Trophy at Karachi in his presence. 

Rather interestingly, the Indian audience in particular saw him at his very best when he was in the leadership role in two successive events. He was the vice-captain of the Pakistan team which won the World Cup at Bombay in 1982 while he was the captain of the team which annexed the Asian Games at New Delhi later the same year.

readmore »»

Syed Khalid Mahmood’s enlightening author session at Habib Public School

Pakistan News & Features Services

It was in the fitness of things that Habib Public School (HPS), one of the iconic educational institutions of the country, chose to invite Syed Khalid Mahmood, who holds the record of penning the highest number of sports books in Pakistan, for the Author Session during their recently concluded Library Week. 

The school Principal, Minhas Tejani, summed up the session most appropriately by complimenting the author to have kept the students and teachers totally involved and absorbed in the proceedings which lasted just an hour. 

The author, after being presented souvenir and certificate on behalf of the school, was showered with praise for having enlightened the audience by sharing his invaluable thoughts, anecdotes and experiences in an impressive manner. 

“We had known Syed Khalid Mahmood as an eminent journalist and author, having read his numerous articles and books but today we discovered him as a versatile speaker too. I am confident that everyone having attended this session got an opportunity to learn through his expertise,” the HPS Principal acknowledged. 

The session began at the auditorium of HPS with the recitation of Holy Quran. A documentary, prepared under the supervision of the school’s Library Manager, Rubina Merchant, highlighting the accomplishments of the author in brief, was shown at the beginning before his formal introduction with the audience. 

Syed Khalid Mahmood, in an effort to keep the interest of the students alive throughout the session, kept moving and engaged the students frequently in his talk on the subject of benefits of reading sports books. 

The half an hour speech was followed by an interactive session of almost the same length of time. Both the segments drew warm applause from those in attendance. The author made special mention of the high-achievers of HPS, particular in the field of sports. He talked about Test cricketer Shoaib Muhammad and hockey greats Sohail Abbas and Safdar Abbas besides others. 

The students impressed the author with their knowledge about sports in particular while he was thrilled to come across the high level of their awareness about the latest events. The active involvement of the participants also reflected their desire to learn new things in life.

readmore »»

Dr Junaid Ali Shah protests at PCB’s hefty fee again

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The President of the Asghar Ali Shah Foundation and two-times former provincial Minister, Dr Syed Junaid Ali Shah, has lashed out at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for charging exorbitantly for the purpose of holding club level tournaments.

“I had protested loudly earlier in the presence of the then PCB Chairman, Najam Sethi, who had agreed to review the hefty charges in the interest of the game. He is no more a part of the PCB but those in power should have taken the responsibility to do the needful. It’s really sickening to have such regulations which pollute the atmosphere and damage the interests of the game,” he remarked during the media launch of the 24th Dr M A Shah Night Trophy Cricket Tournament 2019 at the Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, Karachi, on May 2. 

“Since all the seven knockout games, starting from quarter-finals, have to be telecast live on Geo Super, we have deposited the PCB fee of Rs 15 lacs but we have done it in protest and we will continue fighting for the cause of the game,” he stated.

"As a mark of protest against the policies of the PCB we didn't have our matches televised last year but obviously we didn't wish to deprive the cricket community and we have chosen for the live telecast of our knockout matches as we used to do in the past," he added.

Dr Junaid Ali Shah, who is also the President of the Karachi Hockey Association (KHA), didn’t mince words in stating his displeasure with the existing policies of the sports bodies at the national level. 

“Be it the PCB or the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), they are often found in the news for the wrong reasons. They seem to be pursuing their own agenda without realizing the gravity of the situation and the harms their actions or inactions cause from time to time,” he regretted. 

Meanwhile he disclosed that the Asghar Ali Shah Foundation, established by his illustrious father, Dr Syed Muhammad Ali Shah, will continue meeting the costs of the Dr M A Shah Night Trophy Cricket Tournament. 

The tournament, to be contested by a total of 16 teams, to be divided equally in four groups for the preliminary rounds, will be offering attractive prize money with the winners to receive Rupees five lacs and the runner-up to get Rupees two and a half lacs.

readmore »»

Hockey legend Anwar Ahmad Khan recuperating after freak accident

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The condition of the 80-year-old hockey legend, Anwar Ahmad Khan, has improved following a freak accident at his house a couple of weeks. He has been discharged from the hospital.

His son Dr Adnan Anwar, who is himself a vastly experienced physician, revealed that the former Pakistan captain, regarded as the greatest-ever centre-half to have graced the hockey arena, has had an extended stay at the hospital due to the various complications caused by his sudden collapse while having shower. 

“Quite a few bones of his have been damaged as he appeared to have slipped in the portion right below the shower. The lungs have been disturbed and there are marks of swelling on his head as well. Various tests are being carried out and that’s why he had more than one week stay at the hospital.” he disclosed. 

The great Olympian remained in great spirits and he didn't even mind meeting friends and acquaintances who came to visit him in his room of Karachi’s leading private hospital which is a stone’s throw away from his residence. 

“I have had numerous injuries during my playing career but this one looks little serious. As I do have the knack of seeing off tough moments, I am confident that, with the prayers and best wishes of family members and friends, I will be able to regain my composure soon,” Anwar Ahmad Khan remarked in a confident manner but his voice choked momentarily. 

Although he was surrounded by a team of doctors, the hockey memories were still shaking his mind and he was able to recall the breaking of his teeth during an Asian Games encounter against Korea in 1958. 

“Trust me I had returned to the field after taking the first-aid and played the rest of the match to ensure that no goal was scored against Pakistan. I also played the following game against India and didn’t let them score a single game. And we won the gold medal due to better goal average than India,” he recalled with pride in his eyes. 

His family members felt greatly relieved and her daughter, Dr Shahneela, described the recovery as a new lease of life. 

“The manner in which he was brought to the hospital on January 2 had really scared us. He was in such critical condition after the collapse that we were not even sure if he would be able to reach here. Thanks God he responded to the treatment and his condition started improving,” she observed. 

“As the whole nation knows my father is a brave man. He is never short of will power. We are hoping and praying for his quick recovery,” she added. 

The great Anwar Ahmad Khan, who was instrumental in earning as many as five medals for the country in the Olympic Games and Asian Games from 1956 to 1964, has had health issues during the last few years in particular. His eyes had to be operated upon while he is also suffering from diabetes.

readmore »»

Anwar Ahmad Khan: Hockey’s greatest-ever centre-half

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Olympian Anwar Ahmad Khan has been acclaimed as the greatest-ever centre-half to be have set his feet in the hockey arena. He had been acknowledged as the best in the Indo-Pak sub-continent in the 1950s and he continued to rule the world for the better part of two decades. 

He was the architect of Pakistan’s most famous conquests. He was the pivot around whom the team revolved in its golden era. He played the lead role in winning gold medals for the country in three successive events. 

He had made his international debut during the 1956 Olympics at Melbourne where Pakistan made it to the final for the first time, as they had been eliminated in the semifinals on both the previous Olympic Games at London (1948) and Helsinki (1956). 

Anwar Ahmad Khan’s extraordinary skills, which he learned right from his early days in Bhopal, in the middle of the pitch contained the mighty Indian forwards in the 1958 Asian Games at Tokyo where Pakistan clinched the goal medal ahead of their arch-rivals, after having overwhelmed the obdurate Koreans by a huge margin which proved decisive in earning the first-ever trophy.

He played even bigger role in Pakistan’s sensational title triumph in the 1960 Olympic Games at Rome where they finally brought India down to earth. The momentum was sustained in the 1962 Asian Games at Jakarta where Pakistan clinched their third successive gold in the presence of their  traditional rivals, who had earlier been dominating the hockey world since 1928. 

Ahmad Khan was regarded as the greatest centre-half the world of hockey for being an impossibly-gifted all-round player who didn't let the opposition beat him. His inspirational brilliance is still remembered by his colleagues and contemporaries. 

According to Munir Dar, himself one of the greats of his era, Anwar Ahmad Khan’s anticipation was splendid and his stick work was brilliant. His stoppage was accurate and his distribution could not be intercepted. He used to move all the time with his forwards and whenever the inners were blocked he used to open the game through the wingers. 

He was credited to have played in his corridor and used to cover both the full backs whenever they were beaten. 

He used to deceive the opponents’ defence with his body while feeding his forwards. If he had to pass the ball to the inside-left on top of the circle, he used to move towards his right and after drawing the opposing right-back to cover the gap between the left-back and centre-half, he used to give a goal-labelled pass to his inside-left and similarly to his inside-right. 

He never lost his temper whenever any of his colleagues committed any mistake. He was rated as a great team man and penetrated packed defences with the help of his supporting half-backs. He was a treat to watch all along. 

He has often been described as the pillar on which the Pakistan hockey rested when they were in the process of transforming into a world beating unit. Many experts have rated him as the most valuable player that Pakistan had in 1950s and 1960s. 

Anwar Ahmad Khan was originally chosen vice-captain of the Pakistan squad for the 1964 Olympic Games at Tokyo but he had to lead the team in most of the matches which skipper Manzoor Hussain Atif had to miss because of injuries. Pakistan claimed silver medal at Tokyo. 

He had a remarkably successful international career. He was a member of the Pakistan outfit in three Olympic Games and two Asiads, in which three golds and two silvers were won, an incredible record 

He captained Pakistan in quite a few international matches with great success but his career was cut short due to petty politics and intrigues that plagued the national sport and deprived the country of more glories. 

Upon quitting the game, Anwar Ahmad Khan made history of sorts by bringing out his autobiography 'Anwar' in 1990. It was the first autobiography by a Pakistan hockey player. He later produced another book titled 'Hikayat-e-Hockey' which was published in 2002.

readmore »»

International sports returns to Pakistan with hockey series against China

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

China are not a superpower in the hockey arena yet but their recent tour to Pakistan attained great significance because it announced the revival of international sports activities in the country which seemed to have become ‘out of bounds’ for the visitors since early 2009.

The Chinese hockey team opened their tour with the first couple of Test matches at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium, Karachi, before moving on to Faisalabad and Lahore for the last two Tests against the Green-shirts.

The hockey Test series between the two nations could open the gate for resumption of other sporting events in Pakistan as well. Already there are indications that Bangladesh’s cricket team would be arriving here early next year.

So there’s every possibility of Pakistan playing host to quite a few nations in hockey and cricket in particular in the coming year. The entertainment-starved people of Pakistan are crazy about sports and they eagerly await revival of international contests in their own backyard.

International hockey resumed in Pakistan after a staggering gap of seven years when the Green-shirts took the field against China at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium, Karachi, on December 21. The hosts celebrated the occasion by winning the first Test by three goals to nil. It was the first international hockey game to be staged in Pakistan after the 2004 Champions Trophy at Lahore.

Although the Chinese showed flashes of brilliance in all the four Tests they were unable to stop the Asian Games Champions from completing a clean sweep.

But more important than the result was the return of international sports action in Pakistan. The Federal Interior Minister, Rahman Malik, who was chief guest in the opening game, expressed his pleasure over the resumption of international sports activity in the country with the arrival of Chinese team for a four-match hockey Test series.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President, Qasim Zia, its Secretary Asif Bajwa, Chief Selector Hanif Khan, Olympians Hasan Sardar, Danish Kaleem, Salim Sherwani, Ahmed Alam and Secretary of Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) Farooq Khan, were also present in the glittering opening ceremony.

“It’s a historic day for Pakistani sports and I hope in coming years more foreign teams of cricket, hockey and other sports will be visiting Pakistan without any security issue,” Rahman Malik told the media corps after shaking hands with players of Chinese and Pakistani teams and officials.

“We are grateful to brotherly country China for sending their hockey team to Pakistan to resume international sporting activities here,” he commented.

The Interior Minister, who was appointed Patron of the PHF earlier this year, said that the government was very keen and making all-out efforts to bring international sports back to Pakistan after 2009 attacks on Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore.

Meanwhile the Sindh Governor Dr. Ishrat Ul Ebad Khan, during his visit to Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium the following day, announced the laying of a new blue astro-turf at the stadium to further boost the national sport.

"The Sindh Government will be providing funding for the new turf at the HCP replacing the current green turf which was laid here in 2004," he said after watching the second Test between Pakistan and China on December 22.

readmore »»

Another miracle earns Pakistan Asiad hockey gold

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Who would have imagined of the Pakistan hockey team winning the gold medal in the Asian Games in Guangzhou after they had finished last among the 12 participating outfits in the World Cup in New Delhi earlier this year?

There were cries from every nook and corner of the country to bring the ‘culprits’ to book who had caused the humiliation to Pakistan hockey at the international level. A battery of former greats launched a nation-wide campaign to get rid of the personnel whom they considered responsible for the debacle.

As has been customary during the last couple of years in particular, the concept of check and balance is on the way to extinction in this part of the world and those enjoying the political clout have virtually been declared above the law.

If Ijaz Butt could be allowed to continue heading the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) despite his repeated failures and with so many corruption charges mainly because he’s the brother-in-law of an influential Federal Minister there seemed no logic why Qasim Zia or Asif Bajwa would have been removed from the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) for they had their own trusted connections in the corridors of power.

The former Olympians had spearheaded a full fledged movement to oust the PHF bosses but all their efforts failed. Instead of taking them to task and quizzing them, the government officials gave a stronger vote of confidence to the persons who had brought about the disaster.

Qasim Zia and Asif Bajwa, like Ijaz Butt in cricket, were granted the lincence to kill it hockey. They were publicly told to run the affairs according to their whims and to ignore the criticism from all quarters.

Under these circumstances it would have come as no surprise if Pakistan finished last in the Asian Games as well. There would have been no inquiry and no questions asked. Nobody would have bothered to criticize them or to raise any concern because all their energies were consumed earlier.

But as the luck would have it, Pakistan have won the gold medal. They had previously done it seven times but on each occasion they were one of the favourites to lift the title. This is the first time that they have claimed first position when even their entry in the semifinals was not guaranteed.

That’s how the Pakistan sports has been moving of late. They need miracles and they keep getting it somehow. When the Nature comes into play obviously everything else takes a backseat.

It’s quite incredible to say the least how Pakistan have managed to lift the hockey crown at Guangzhou. To have overpowered the in-form teams like South Korea and Malaysia in the knockout games was amazing.

Many people would have written them off when they lost to India in their league matches. But they were taught the lesson once more that it’s never advisable to write off Pakistan until they are actually out of it.

Specialist drag-flicker Sohail Abbas and veteran sriker Rehan Butt scored the goals in the final against Malaysia, who had to settle for silver in their maiden appearance in the title clash after winning the bronze medal six times.

The Malaysians couldn’t play to their potential in the final and Amin Rahim, whose two late goals floored India in the semifinals, faltered in all three penalty corners his team earned

readmore »»

More than satisfying debut at Karachi Press Club

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The ‘Meet the Press’ programme at the Karachi Press Club on March 18 was my first as Secretary of the Sports Committee. Not surprisingly there was not enough time at our end to make the necessary arrangements because the outstation hockey Olympians were in town for a brief period and we had very few options.

With the hockey controversy brewing up and all the national newspapers flashing stories under banner headlines day in and day out we had the opportunity of inviting the legendary characters to speak on the burning topic.

Let me give the credit to the KPC Secretary, A H Khanzada, for not having taken even a minute in granting the approval in principle when I discussed with him the idea of holding a programme on hockey. The KPC President, Imtiaz Faran, was also on board right away and so were the rest of the committee members.

Both the top office-bearers of the KPC were there with me to receive the distinguished guests upon their arrival. The members of our Sports Committee were also enthusiastic in welcoming the battalion of Olympians.

We do seldom come across the luminaries of different eras sitting together on the stage. It was a rare occasion when the legends of Pakistan’s national sport had assembled in one terrace. I have intentionally not used the proverbial under one roof because we entertained our worthy guests in the spacious lawn covered by tents.

A normal ‘Meet the Press’ programme is usually held in the centrally air-conditioned Ibrahim Jalees Hall of the KPC. We had to make the tricky decision whether to hold it there or shift it to the terrace where we could accommodate larger number of persons. Because of the sweltering heat having gripped the city of Karachi we had to think twice before finally going for the second option.

We were proved correct because the heat of the subject was going to overshadow the dry weather and it did. Even the old fashioned fans were more than enough to do the business. Nobody cared for the furniture or the settings. The occasion was a momentous one and everybody was absorbed in it, seeing off the blazing sun with a smile.

It was more of a privilege to have also conducted the proceedings of the ceremony that was not only a historic one only for me personally but it was an honour for our beloved institution to have hosted these hockey greats.

These were the moments of lifetime. Sharing the stage with the likes of Akhtar-ul-Islam, Islahuddin Siddiqui, Samiullah Khan, Shahnaz Shaikh, Rasheed-ul-Hasan, Ayaz Mahmood, Shahbaz Ahmed, Qamar Ibrahim and Saeed Khan was something to cherish for the rest of life.

It was one of those rare occasions when the number of chairs fell short on the stage. Quite a few Olympians like Qamar Zia, Moinuddin Khan, Naeem Akhtar, Mohammad Irfan and Kamran Ashraf had to be seated among the audience but they were recognized and acknowledged.

The ceremony, as anticipated, was widely reported by the electronic and print media whose representatives were in attendance in good number to cover the event. It may have been ‘another story’ for many but to me it was something special.

readmore »»

Hockey greats blast Asif Bajwa

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

As expected it was Asif Bajwa, Secretary, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), coming under the hammer when the hockey greats addressed the members of the Karachi Press Club on March 18. He was asked to accept the responsibility for the debacle and quit the scene.

The galaxy of hockey Olympians arrived at the club dot on time even though quite a few protest meetings were being held nearby and the roads were blocked. Akhtar-ul-Islam and Islahuddin Siddiqui led the squad that also featured the illustrious figures of Samiullah Khan, Shahnaz Shaikh, Rashid-ul-Hasan, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ayaz Mahmood and Saeed Khan.

The top officials of the Karachi Press Club, Imtiaz Faran (President) and A H Khanzada (Secretary) alongwith the members of the club’s sports committee received the distinguished guests at the main entrance and they were escorted to the terrace where the Meet the Press programme began at the designated time of 4 pm.

Quite a few other prominent hockey players of the past including Mansoor Ahmed, Moinuddin Khan, Qamar Zia, Qamar Ibrahim, Kamran Ashraf and Mohammad Irfan sat in the audience alongwith local club players and fans of the game.

All the speakers lamented Pakistan’s disgraceful performance in the recently concluded World Cup hockey tournament in New Delhi where the team finished at the bottom.

They unanimously attacked the PHF officials for the expected disaster. They attributed the debacle to the defensive approach of the team management as Pakistan could score only nine goals in the six matches they played during the tournament.

Shahnaz Shaikh presented a comprehensive report in which he blamed the PHF for having ignored the advice aimed at improving the performance of the team.

“I had warned the team management so many times to refrain from playing defensive hockey. It’s suicidal approach if you ask your boys to play defensively. It demoralizes the players and their mindset becomes negative,” Shahnaz asserted.

“Our players had to pay the price of getting engaged into defensive tactics. Our strength became our weakness when the boys were put into negative frame of mind. Our boys were drained out and they hardly could attack the rivals with the punch that was no desperately needed. You can’t win a game with out scoring. If you yourself cut down your scoring chances than how can you expect to win,” he argued.

“The management on the bench was mostly shouting in rage rather than design a timely substitution for the aging players. Subsequently most of the goals were conceded in the dying moments of the matches. Most of the goals against Pakistan were scored on counter attacks by the opponents showing a physical fitness problem. It required strength, endurance and circuit training was not planned during training camp,” he said.

Islahuddin, who spoke behalf of the Olympians, in the extended interactive session, dispelled the impression that the hockey greats were demonstrating the unity to seek any position in the PHF.

“All these luminaries of the Pakistan hockey have secured jobs with their respective organizations where they are employed and neither of us is running for any job in the PHF,” he clarified.

To a question, he said that the Olympians were ready to meet the government officials and discuss the issue with them as they were keen for the revival of hockey in the country.

readmore »»

Legends unite for mutual objective of damage control

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

It’s not often that the Pakistan hockey greats have thought or functioned on a common goal after having quit the game that earned them name, fame, wealth, recognition and respect beyond imagination.

Lately, however, they appear to have become united in their stand for ousting the all-powerful Secretary of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), Asif Bajwa, following the debacle in New Delhi where Pakistan finished last among the dozen participants.

It’s heartening to see the likes of Olympians Islahuddin Siddiqui, Samiullah Khan, Shahnaz Shaikh and Shahbaz Ahmed, all of them enjoying the status of a hockey legend, talking collectively for the cause of the national game.

Quite a few other Olympians and internationals are also on board expressing their disgust and displeasure out in the open. They have blasted Asif Bajwa for ruining the game with wrongdoings of every kind.

It’s going to be quite an occasion at the Karachi Press Club on March 18 where these luminaries have been invited by the Sports Committee in their prestigious Meet the Press programme. Special arrangements have been made as bigger media participation than usual is anticipated in view of the issue they will be talking on.

Well the Pakistan hockey has had its share of ups and downs over the years. Pakistan had made immediate impact in the international arena after independence. They had made it to the semifinals in their maiden appearance in Olympic Games at London in 1948. They also did it in the 1952 Olympic Games at Helsinki.

Things changed for the better in the 1956 Olympic Games at Melbourne when Pakistan made it to the final for the first time. After winning the gold medal in the 1958 Asian Games, Pakistan conquered the hockey world by winning the Olympic crown at Rome in 1960.

Gold medal in the 1962 Asian Games was followed by silvers in the 1964 Olympic Games and the 1966 Asian Games. It was back to gold in the 1968 Olympic Games and the 1970 Asian Games. Pakistan completed the Grand Slam by winning the inaugural World Cup in 1971.

The golden era continued in the 1970s with medals in every outing. The start to the 1980s was equally heartening and the gold medals in the 1982 Asian Games, the 1982 World Cup and the 1984 Olympics.

Then there was a sudden dip and Pakistan stunned everyone by dropping to 11th position in the 1986 World Cup. They fared comparatively better in the 1988 Olympic Games but it was for the first time that they had not reached the semifinals in 40 years.

Pakistan won the World Cup in 1994 against the heaviest of odds and not surprisingly it has remained their last major success at the international level. There has been very little to cheer about for the last 16 years.

Now the Pakistan hockey has suffered the biggest blow at New Delhi, having finished at the bottom after losing games against teams like South Africa and Canada who themselves had a forgettable tournament otherwise.

readmore »»

Cosmetic changes unlikely to revive Pakistan hockey

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Pakistan have fared worse than the worst. Their poorest record in the World Cup was having finished 11th among the dozen participants in 1986. Now they have hit the rock bottom after losing to Canada on March 11 in New Delhi that condemned to the last slot in the competition.

Yes the four times champions have ended at the last position now. The country having clinched the title in 1971, 1978, 1982 and 1994 has found itself pushed down to the 12th place. They couldn’t have performed more miserably because there were only 12 teams competing.

Pakistan’s hockey team was never expected to dominate in the 2010 World Cup despite the tall claims made by the likes of Qasim Zia, Asif Bajwa and Shahid Ali Khan. But nobody expected them to finish last either.

The pressure was more on Asif Bajwa to accept the responsibility for the catastrophe and quit the job. He was being blamed for wrongdoings and the critics demanded an enquiry to be conducted against him and he must be penalized if found guilty.

By the look of things Qasim Zia, President, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), is now playing another kind of politics. Instead of removing Asif Bajwa from the position of Secretary PHF he is actually protecting and shielding him. His decision to sack the team management and the selection committee but to retain the Secretary didn’t reflect honesty of purpose.

In fact Qasim Zia made his intentions quite clear by claiming that the present PHF set-up was looking forward to the Asian Games to be held later this year. Does the PHF chief wants to ensure that the Pakistan team also finishes last in the Asian Games?

“This is a big debacle for Pakistan hockey as they lost to India after 35 years in World Cup and suffered first defeat against South Africa in 63 years. It couldn’t have been worse as they also crashed in their game against Canada,” the soft spoken Islahuddin, one of the most respected hockey figures of the country, observed.

Quite a few other former Olympians including Shahnaz Shaikh, Ayaz Mahmood, Mansoor Ahmed, Muhammad Saqlain and Naveed Alam have also held Asif Bajwa chiefly responsible for the worst-ever performance by a Pakistan team.

“If the team management took the credit for fine performances in the Asia Cup, the World Cup qualifiers and the Champions Trophy qualifiers they should take the whole blame for the World Cup flop and face the music,” Islahuddin remarked.

The formers Olympians, for reasons beyond comprehension, have refrained from lashing at PHF chief Qazim Zia and complimented him instead for bringing in huge sums of money for the national game.

“Asif Bajwa worked under me during my tenure as chief coach of Pakistan junior hockey team. He had a defensive approach and we developed differences on the same because I believed in attacking hockey philosophy,” Ayaz Mahmood, a gold-medalist of the 1984 Olympics, noted.

readmore »»

Immediate sacking of Asif Bajwa demanded

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Pakistan’s not entirely unexpected downslide in the ongoing 11th World Cup Hockey Tournament 2010 in New Delhi has prompted the concerned quarters to demand the immediate sacking of the key officials of the national body.

Asif Bajwa, who was running the show with the blessings of Qasim Zia, has been declared the ‘chief’ culprit of the debacle and his head is being demanded to be put on the chopping block right away.

Asif Bajwa has not only been ‘ruling’ the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) as its Secretary but he has also remained a part and parcel of the team management on literally every tour undertaken by the national team. He has been the virtual manager-cum-coach of the squad in nearly every outing including the World Cup in which Pakistan finished last in the group.

It’s an open secret that Qasim Zia, a former Olympian-turned-politician, has preferred to remain the ceremonial head of the PHF. Being an influential leader of the ruling party, he has been successful in bringing huge sums of money for the game.

Qasim Zia should be credited for having brought in the much needed sponsorship for the national game but now he should also shoulder the blame for having allowed Asif Bajwa to run the affairs of the PHF according to his own whims.

Greater pressure is being exerted on Asif Bajwa to resign whereas Qasim Zia is not found in the firing line yet. But there are clear enough indications that the PHF President will be needed to get rid of his controversial Secretary in order to save his own skin from accountability.

Asif Bajwa has not given up yet despite being at the centre of the criticism for having taken the Pakistan hockey to its lowest ebb. He is still believed to be proactive in his game of manipulation to avoid getting the stick and extend his tenure by hook or by crook.

It will, however, come as little surprise if Asif Bajwa is asked to resign. Obviously he will be the last person to do it voluntarily.

Meanwhile Pakistan are now preparing to take on Canada in the eleventh position match. If my memory serves me right the Canadians had overpowered Pakistan in their classification match during the 1986 World Cup in London.

Pakistan, unfortunately, have fared even worse in the 2010 World Cup in New Delhi because they suffered defeats in four of their five league match with the upset win over Spain being their only consolation in the high profile event.

Under the circumstances one cannot predict the outcome of the Pakistan-Canada match scheduled to be held on March 11. The Canadians have lost all their league fixtures but mind you their best performance in the tournament came in their last game that was against Argentina.

If Canada reproduce the kind of hockey they did against their South American rivals Pakistan, having claimed the trophy a record four times, could well finish at the rock bottom for the first time in the 39-year old history of the competition.

readmore »»

Islah urges Pakistan to boycott World Cup in India

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Former Pakistan captain and one of the legendary hockey forwards, Olympian
Islahuddin Siddiqui has advised the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to boycott the upcoming FIH World Cup Tournament 2010 to be staged in India next month.

"The strained Indo-Pak relations and the security threats from different extremist groups in India present a very grim scenario at the moment and it would put Pakistan players under pressure if they play there," Islahuddin, a respected name in the international hockey circles, said in an interview in Karachi.

“I don’t think it would be advisable to let Pakistan play in India. The sports-loving public of both the neighboring countries are very much eager to watch their stalwarts in action but a few elements across the border have become proactive in trying to sabotage sporting ties," he felt.

"What’s the point in sending our players when we are aware of the fact that it might be very difficult for them to concentrate and excel," he believed.

"Pakistan’s hockey team has shown definite signs of improvement of late but let us not them put to that kind of test. They should be forced to take the field in such hostile atmosphere,” Islah, who led Pakistan to the World Cup triumph in 1978, warned.

“It’s not fair to send our hockey team to India as performing well under adverse conditions could be terribly difficult for them," he reckoned.

“When the hugely resourceful franchises could not pick the Pakistan cricketers for the Indian Premier League (IPL) because of the security concerns how will be the hosts providing security to the big Pakistan hockey contingent in the tournament of a profile as high as the World Cup,” Islah, having served the national team as coach and manager, questioned.

"Not picking Pak cricketers in the IPL auction has sent a negative message to the Indo-Pak sub-continent and the world. They themselves proved the point that the conditions were not conducive for sporting action in India," he added.

“The Pakistan Hockey Federation must take a note of the situation and they should assess all the factors before making the decision. They should not think twice of participating in the event if they are not fully satisfied with the security arrangements,” the widely traveled Islah suggested.

Interestingly Pakistan, having won the World Cup a record four times, are scheduled to take on hosts India in the opening match of the 12-nation tournament to be staged in at New Delhi from February 28 to March 11.

It may be recalled that the World Cup hockey tournament was a brainchild of the visionary PHF President, Air Marshal Nur Khan. The inaugural event could not to be hosted in Pakistan but they managed to win the trophy when it was launched in Spain in 1971.

Not surprisingly it was the tension between the two arch-rivals that had cost Pakistan the chance of staging the first-ever World Cup. It was after 19 years when the World Cup was finally held in Pakistan in 1990.

readmore »»

Qualification in World Cup celebrated like title triumph

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Pakistan emerged triumphant in the FIH World Cup Qualifiers in Lille, France, that has earned them the qualification for the Hero Honda FIH World Cup 2010. But the impression being given in the country is that Pakistan have already annexed the world title.

The officials of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), sitting in the corridors of power, even managed to have a congratulatory statement issued from the office of the head of the state hailing the victory in the recently held tournament.

The manner in which Qasim Zia and Asif Bajwa have been operating after having overthrown Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, nothing could be ruled out. They have become the hockey rulers who don’t approve the idea of consulting former Olympians and seasoned campaigners who brought more glories for the country than these two gentlemen could not even imagine.

The PHF is not being ‘governed’ much differently than the oft criticized Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The only apparent difference between these two bodies, headquartered in close vicinity in Lahore, is that the PCB is a one-man show and in the PHF there are two brothers in arms calling the shots.

No authority or governmental body can dare questioning Asif Bajwa, the PHF Secretary, enjoying total support and backing of President Qasim Zia, the hockey Olympian-turned politician.

Will these two worthy officials of the PHF care to explain didn’t it cost millions to take the team to France whereas they could have settled the issue by winning the Asia Cup in Malaysia earlier this year.

Pakistan would not have been needed to travel all the way to France had they overpowered South Korea in the Asia Cup final. The winners of the Asia Cup were to directly qualify for the World Cup.

It was the failure of the team in the Asia Cup final that jeopardized their chances of playing for the World Cup and they had to take part in the Qualifiers in Lille where they did it by the skin of their teeth.

Pakistan still needed to win the competition to avoid elimination from the World Cup although the teams participating in the Qualifiers in Lille were not highly rated or prolific ones.

They accomplished their mission after winning the tensely fought final against Japan 3-1. The lady luck was smiling on Pakistan who managed to overcome a much improved performance from the Japanese outfit. It turned out to be a much closer contest than anticipated.

Poland, who had overpowered Pakistan in their league meeting, finished third while hosts France, Russia and Italy shared the next three positions.

Pakistan became the 10th team to have qualified for the Hero Honda FIH World Cup 2010 with Australia, Canada, England, Germany, India, Korea, Netherlands, South Africa and Spain having secured their berths earlier.

A couple of more spots are available and will go to the winners of the second World Cup Qualifier, having started in Invercargill, New Zealand, and the third one, which starts in Quilmes, Argentina, in the coming week.

readmore »»

World hockey mourns death of Brigadier Atif

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The legendary figure of Brigadier Syed Manzoor Hussain Atif, whose name became synonymous with the Pakistan hockey due to his very long stint with the game, passed away on December 8 in Rawalpindi, the historic town neighbouring capital Islamabad. He had turned 81 only the other month.

I have come to know about his demise while in Islamabad on Eid vacations. It’s indeed a very sad day for the world hockey in general and the Pakistan hockey in particular. He’s the man around whom the Pakistan hockey revolved not only for years but for decades.

Brig Atif, however, was not actively associated with the game during the last few years of his life. He was laid low by the growing health problems that had also restricted his travel.

In fact Brig Atif had very reluctantly regretted attending the grand reception in the honour of his mentor and icon Air Marshal Nur Khan in March 2007. He was invited as one of the keynote speakers for the dinner-reception organized by the Brotherhood Sports Society of Pakistan (BSSP), whose President, Waqar Hasan, a former Test cricketer, was very keen to have all the central figures of the Air Marshal Nur Khan team there.

The night was memorable in which the likes of Anwar Ahmad Khan, Jahangir Khan, Javed Miandad and Islahuddin had recalled their experiences of working with the great Air Marshal Nur Khan. But we missed Brig Atif who, I reckon, possessed the most intimate of relationships with the Air Marshal and it was their joint action that brought so much glory for Pakistan.

Brig Atif was a strong willed man whose result-oriented approach also made him somewhat ruthless at times. But he was not afraid of undue criticism. He made some tough calls but they were generally in the larger interest of the game.

Records aside, Brig Atif’s services to the game of hockey in Pakistan cannot be adequately described in words. He stands heads and shoulders above any other individual as far as the contribution to the Pakistan hockey is concerned. He did not believe in half measures and his commitment was total.

Brig Atif had entered the hockey arena in a role of a full-back. After having played for the country in as many as four editions of the Olympic Games, he undertook the managerial responsibilities before devoting his energies to the administration. He had become the centre-forward of the Pakistan hockey affairs and remained in this position for quite sometime with remarkable success.

Obviously, like any other human being in this planet, he also committed mistakes or even blunders during his long career. But mostly they appeared to be errors of judgment and seldom did his integrity was put into doubt.

One incident I am reminded of had occurred in 1988. Pakistan had crashed to defeat in one of the Test matches at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium, Karachi, and a section of the crowd was chanting slogans against the national team.

My photojournalist colleague at The Frontier Post, Morrison Bhatti, had a great sense of humour. After having shot a few snaps of the disgruntled fans he jokingly advised them to point their fingers on Brig Atif instead of targeting the players.

Morrison Bhatti, preparing to pack his lenses, was oblivious of the fact that Brig Atif was in fact standing right behind us, having overheard the conversation. Brig Atif was furious and some harsh words were exchanged. The scene could have become uglier but the interference of other media professionals helped cool down the emotions.

Morrison Bhatti, to register his protest, influenced some of the fellow photojournalists to boycott the reception the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) was hosting the same night. But Brig Atif was quick to respond and came all the way down to the media corps present ton the occasion to explain the situation that cleared the misunderstanding.

That was the great ability of Brig Atif. He knew exactly how to accomplish his goals. He tackled the pressure-cooker situations with broad smile on his face. It’s very unlikely that the Pakistan hockey will ever produce an administrator of his class and caliber.

readmore »»