No need to tell Pakistan hockey is in tatters. The record four-time world champions are currently ranked 18th in the world. Three-time Olympic gold medallists failed to qualify for the last two Olympics.Every Pakistani is rightly perturbed. Hockey is Pakistan`s national game. The country`s Prime Minister is ex officio Patron in Chief of Pakistan Hockey Federation. Imran Khan, a world-class cricketer, was also a keen hockey player.

Hockey lovers had great expectations from him. During the election campaign, Imran had promised to put sports, especially the disciplines which brought glory to the country, on the right track. Unfortunately, he has not taken any step to resurrect hockey. Rather, the decline has continued during the last three years, and Pakistan hockey is at the lowest ebb.

Those who contributed to the golden glories of the past feel the pain more. Many stalwarts, particularly those who were part of the title-winning sides, have been raising their voice to bring the attention of the government to the poor state of the national game. The biggest gathering was seen at the Lahore Press Club in April 2019. No less than 10 hockey greats, all Olympic or World Cup medalists, spoke about the failures and corruption of the PHF.

The PHF immediately sprang into action and tried to lure the dissenting former players. A few succumbed to temptations. Manzoor Jr became the chief selector, and Khawaja Junaid took the position of head coach.

Many didn't budge. The most active and vociferous against the PHF is legendary Rasheedul Hassan - one of the few hockey players in the world to have won every gold medal: Olympics, World Cup, Asian Games, Asia Cup, and even Junior World Cup.

Raheed has repeatedly spoken to the media, met IPC minister Dr Fahmida Mirza and even wrote to the Prime Minister about Pakistan hockey. To stifle this opposing voice, the PHF Secretary Asif Bajwa recently come out with a ludicrous action. He stated that the PHF has banned Rasheed for 10 years for using abusive language against the Prime Minister. The statement further said that two notices were sent to Rasheed, to which he did not respond.

Rasheed retorted that he did not criticise the Prime Minister at any event, social media, or television channel. In the WhatsApp group, friends talk openly. According to him, in the WhatsApp group, he had said that Imran Khan stood on the container and talked about improvement in sports, especially hockey. But the Prime Minister has failed to fulfill his promise.

Rasheed added: "In the first place, the PHF has no authority to send me such notice as I have never held any position in the federation. What to talk of any office, I never had even a managerial or coaching assignment."

According to Rasheed, he received the first notice from the PHF some five months ago. "I didn't reply since it was not sent by either the President or the Secretary of the PHF.

"The second notice I received some 45 days ago, sent by the secretary of PHF. I simply replied, 'The PHF has no authority to ask me for any explanation'."

In response to the PHF`s denial about receiving Rasheed's reply, the former Pakistan captain showed the copy of the courier company`s receipt telling his reply was received at the PHF HQ in Lahore.

All said and done, it was a very shameless and irrational effort by the PHF to stifle the voice of a legend whose sincerity towards Pakistan hockey is unquestionable.

Bajwa is the epitome of corruption. Pakistan hockey has witnessed unimaginable disasters during his two tenures as the Secretary.

Bajwa’s previous tenure as secretary

Bajwa, the incumbent secretary-general of the PHF, had already held this office from 2008-2013. Khawaja Asif, the PML-N federal minister of the time, was instrumental in bringing Bajwa to the post.

Bajwa left the office amid serious charges against him regarding misuse of funds as well as human smuggling. These charges still stand. The human smuggling case with FIR No: 1438 against Bajwa was registered by the FIA in Gujranwala.

On the field also, during his tenure, Pakistan suffered humiliations never seen before.

The Green-shirts finished 12th at the 2010 World Cup-their worst ever performance. Bajwa, the sitting secretary general of PHF, was also the manager of the team.

At the 2012 Olympics, they suffered a 0-7 demolition by Australia, Pakistan's worst defeat in Olympic history. The worst was still to come. They failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup. It was the first time that Pakistan couldn't even make it to the World Cup or Olympics.

We all remember the drama staged by the Pakistan team after finishing 12th at the 2010 World Cup. The entire squad had announced their international retirement - only to take it back a few days later "in the larger interest of Pakistan hockey".

Second Tenure

Bajwa's First Press Conference

This time, in his first press conference in 2019, Bajwa said, "anyone who doesn't target the Olympics or World Cup has no right to sit in the office." But Bajwa didn't make a passing reference to Pakistan's pathetic shows at the World Cup and the Olympics during his previous stint as the Secretary General. Ironically, in the same presser he boasted about "Pakistan's great" achievements during his previous tenure. "Pakistan won the Asian gold medal in 2010 after 20 years," he said. Now, the competition in Asia is very little. Even in the four Asian Games between 1990 and 2010, Pakistan had reached the semifinal every time. He also lied that Pakistan won the Asian Champions Trophy thrice in that period. They won it only twice. It must be remembered that the Asian Champions Trophy is a minor non-title event. He was also wrong in saying that Pakistan won a silver and bronze at the Champions Trophy. Pakistan won just one bronze (at the 2012 Champions Trophy). Champions Trophy, also a non-title annual tournament, has now been scrapped. These minor successes were no compensation for the colossal unprecedented failures at the World Cup and the Olympics.

Pakistan’s
Performance

In his current tenure, Pakistan failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, losing the doubleheader to Holland 5-10 at Amstelveen in November 2019. At the Junior World Cup in 2021, Pakistan finished 11th, the country`s worst-ever position.

It is pertinent to mention that three countries, Australia, England and New Zealand (all ranked among the top eight), had pulled out due to Covid-related issues. Had these three teams played, Pakistan might have appeared in the last position play-off in the 16 team competition.

At the 2021 Asian Champions Trophy, Pakistan finished fourth among five teams, again the country`s worst-ever position.

Pakistan had finished first or second at all the previous five editions of the Asian Champions Trophy.

Dissent is the essence of democracy. Bajwa the great sycophant is just trying to be more loyal than the king.

Mr Prime Minister, famed Italian poet and philosopher Dante (1265-1321) placed flatterers in a lower circle of Hell than murderers and tyrants.

ijaz62@hotmail.com