Hopeful that ice will break between India and Pakistan hockey association, says Asif Bajwa

Newly-elected Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary general Asif Bajwa has tough task ahead of him if he intends to help develop the national team to compete on all fronts. One of the first tasks on his to-do list is to ensure that the relations with Hockey Federation India (FIH) reach an amicable solution as soon as possible. 

“It would be wrong to say I have had a chance to talk to anyone on the issue of bilateral hockey ties with India. But that is my main goal and I am very hopeful the ice will break soon between the two countries in hockey. The way I look at it, if we convince them to play, then it would give a big boost to hockey in Pakistan and also help us overcome our financial crunch,” Sattar Edhi told PTI on Sunday at the Sattar Edhi hockey stadium in Karachi.

The last time India played Pakistan in a bilateral hockey series was in 2006 and the two rivals have only met at international tournaments ever since. According to Bajwa, Pakistan would require to pay a fine to the FIH as soon as possible for not sending the national team to the FIH Pro-Hockey League which was held in India earlier this year.

“It was a mistake because the FIH Pro-Hockey League is the future of the sport and it will benefit us a lot. We still have a small window of opportunity available to us to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games but we have to wait and see what the FIH lines up for us. But frankly speaking, I am already thinking ahead of preparing strong squads for the junior World Cup, senior World Cup, and the 2024 Olympic Games,” he added.