By Muhammad Ali
LAHORE: Former Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) director general Zakir Hussain Syed has said that the decision of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to award central contracts to hockey players is a big positive step towards promotion of the national sport of the country. Talking to Daily Times on Tuesday, Zakir Syed, who is also a renowned hockey analyst and columnist, said this single incentive could and would draw more youngsters towards this neglected sport. “Squash and hockey have won the greatest laurels for Pakistan and yet financial rewards for them compared to cricketers are peanuts,” he added.
The PHF on Saturday introduced a performance-based incentive programme for the national players. 18 members of the national senior team and the 7 stand-byes have been divided into A, B, C and D categories. Players showing visible improvement in their performance in international tournaments will be promoted and those failing to display form will be relegated. Category A players will receive Rs 50,000 per month, category B players Rs 40,000, category C players Rs 30,000 and category D players Rs 15,000 per month. This incentive is for one year and the PHF will spend nearly Rs 10 million on this venture.
Zakir Syed said in 1950s and 1960s talented and gifted hockey players were immediately recruited by various departments giving them not only permanent employment but also secure careers in elite organisations like PIA, banks, Railways, Police and Customs etc. “Many of these great hockey players rose to high offices, a just reward for their great contribution to national pride. But, unfortunately, during the last two and a half decades such employment avenues for hockey players have been closed with the result that youngsters no longer want to play hockey because, unlike cricketers, they neither have career security nor ready cash or media glamour to pursue this sport.”
Zakir Syed said Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s announcement that sportsmen would be provided jobs by government departments seemed to have fallen on deaf ears and hence there was an urgent need to introduce an attractive contract system especially for hockey players. “I had long advocated such a system and for me personally it is a very happy news. I congratulate PHF president Qasim Zia and general secretary Mohammad Asif Bajwa on taking this decision. They should now ensure that the PHF bank accounts have adequate funds to sustain this sensible programme because any cancellation or suspension of this contract system will do more harm than having no such system.” To a question, he said the next most important thing for the PHF hierarchy, especially the president and secretary, was to keep strictly away from unnecessary controversies that hampered their progress. “Some of their actions will receive criticism no matter how well intentioned they may be. Taking such criticism in a constructive manner will be the best course of action.”
He said Qasim had now announced that he would personally supervise the elections of federating units of the PHF. “Should he be doing that especially when he is going to be the ultimate jury in case of a dispute in any of the units! If he persists on this arrangement, there are bound to be allegations against him for patronage of certain groups to get them elected. He is a politician and can ill afford to get involved in this sort of mud slinging.” Zakir Syed said the PHF chief had built his political career with great effort and hard work. “He should avoid wrongdoing in the PHF. There are already rumours circulating that some of his associates and workers are benefiting due to his office in the PHF including foreign joyrides. Qasim is very decent person and he should not pay the price for the ‘mistakes’ of others.”
Zakir Syed said qualifying for the World Cup in India next year was a good modest beginning. “But as rightly pointed out by former hockey great Samiullah, it is just the beginning and we still have a long uphill climb. Yes, it is possible but it is not as easy as some people presume,” he concluded.
LAHORE: Former Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) director general Zakir Hussain Syed has said that the decision of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to award central contracts to hockey players is a big positive step towards promotion of the national sport of the country. Talking to Daily Times on Tuesday, Zakir Syed, who is also a renowned hockey analyst and columnist, said this single incentive could and would draw more youngsters towards this neglected sport. “Squash and hockey have won the greatest laurels for Pakistan and yet financial rewards for them compared to cricketers are peanuts,” he added.
The PHF on Saturday introduced a performance-based incentive programme for the national players. 18 members of the national senior team and the 7 stand-byes have been divided into A, B, C and D categories. Players showing visible improvement in their performance in international tournaments will be promoted and those failing to display form will be relegated. Category A players will receive Rs 50,000 per month, category B players Rs 40,000, category C players Rs 30,000 and category D players Rs 15,000 per month. This incentive is for one year and the PHF will spend nearly Rs 10 million on this venture.
Zakir Syed said in 1950s and 1960s talented and gifted hockey players were immediately recruited by various departments giving them not only permanent employment but also secure careers in elite organisations like PIA, banks, Railways, Police and Customs etc. “Many of these great hockey players rose to high offices, a just reward for their great contribution to national pride. But, unfortunately, during the last two and a half decades such employment avenues for hockey players have been closed with the result that youngsters no longer want to play hockey because, unlike cricketers, they neither have career security nor ready cash or media glamour to pursue this sport.”
Zakir Syed said Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s announcement that sportsmen would be provided jobs by government departments seemed to have fallen on deaf ears and hence there was an urgent need to introduce an attractive contract system especially for hockey players. “I had long advocated such a system and for me personally it is a very happy news. I congratulate PHF president Qasim Zia and general secretary Mohammad Asif Bajwa on taking this decision. They should now ensure that the PHF bank accounts have adequate funds to sustain this sensible programme because any cancellation or suspension of this contract system will do more harm than having no such system.” To a question, he said the next most important thing for the PHF hierarchy, especially the president and secretary, was to keep strictly away from unnecessary controversies that hampered their progress. “Some of their actions will receive criticism no matter how well intentioned they may be. Taking such criticism in a constructive manner will be the best course of action.”
He said Qasim had now announced that he would personally supervise the elections of federating units of the PHF. “Should he be doing that especially when he is going to be the ultimate jury in case of a dispute in any of the units! If he persists on this arrangement, there are bound to be allegations against him for patronage of certain groups to get them elected. He is a politician and can ill afford to get involved in this sort of mud slinging.” Zakir Syed said the PHF chief had built his political career with great effort and hard work. “He should avoid wrongdoing in the PHF. There are already rumours circulating that some of his associates and workers are benefiting due to his office in the PHF including foreign joyrides. Qasim is very decent person and he should not pay the price for the ‘mistakes’ of others.”
Zakir Syed said qualifying for the World Cup in India next year was a good modest beginning. “But as rightly pointed out by former hockey great Samiullah, it is just the beginning and we still have a long uphill climb. Yes, it is possible but it is not as easy as some people presume,” he concluded.
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