Pakistan Hockey Players Struggle Without Daily Allowance

News Desk
3 Min Read

Lahore( The COW News Digital) Pakistan’s national hockey team has once again found itself mired in a severe financial crisis, this time during their participation in the FIH Nations Cup Final held in Malaysia. The players and officials, including coaching staff, have not received their promised daily allowance of PKR 30,000 per day for the 10-day tournament.

According to sources, players have been forced to cover their own meals and basic expenses out of pocket, leading to serious distress within the squad. The financial pressure reportedly contributed to low morale during the final against New Zealand, where Pakistan suffered a heavy 6-2 defeat.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) had committed to paying allowances to players and staff before departure, but no payments have been made yet. This is not the first time such issues have arisen. Earlier, the national team missed the prestigious Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, also scheduled in Malaysia, due to non-payment of previous dues. Similarly, dues from the 2024 Asian Hockey Champions Trophy, where players were promised PKR 20,000 per day, also remain unpaid.

In a statement to The Express, PHF Secretary Rana Mujahid Ali revealed that the federation urgently requires PKR 60-70 million to cover allowances and administrative costs. He lamented that while cricket leagues in Pakistan attract huge funding, hockey—despite being the national sport—receives negligible support.

“A single international tournament can cost up to PKR 150 million, but we don’t even get a fraction of that,” said Mujahid. “If the government allocates just PKR 1 billion annually to hockey, we can rebuild the sport and regain our lost glory.”

He also compared Pakistan’s hockey funding with India’s, stating that India spends nearly PKR 3 billion annually on hockey alone, whereas Pakistan lacks even basic infrastructure. The team’s travel to Malaysia was only possible due to support from limited sponsors.

National team head coach Tahir Zaman echoed similar concerns, adding that even one-fourth of India’s spending could significantly boost Pakistan’s hockey performance.

Former Olympian Tauqeer Dar praised the players’ patriotism, calling them “Mujahideen” for continuing to represent the country amid dire financial conditions.

PHF has now appealed to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Sports Minister Rana Sanaullah, and Field Marshal Asim Munir to intervene and provide immediate financial and administrative assistance to rescue Pakistan hockey from collapse.

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