Muhammad Asif Khan
Karachi: Moved by the news of the financial constraints being faced by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), the Hockey authorities, across the border, have offered financial assistance to their Pakistan counterparts. “Pakistan postponed the training camp for the Olympics qualifying round due to financial hardship and that news was pretty disturbing for us as well. We want Pakistan to participate in the Olympics”, said President Hockey India (HI), Narindar Batra, while talking to this correspondent for News One TV. 
“We can’t imagine the Olympics Hockey event without Pakistan and India”, added Batra
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has deferred the training camp for the Olympics qualifying round citing financial hardship. The PHF said they don’t have money to even pay the daily allowance to the players.
The HI president said that they were waiting for the PHF response, to the offer, after which the India government and sponsors will also be taken aboard in this regard.
On a question regarding a hockey series, between Pakistan and India, in the near future, the HI president negated such possibility. “At the moment the bilateral series, in the near future, is not possible, because the unpleasant issues, emerged during the recent Champions Trophy, have not been completely resolved as yet”, concluded Batra
The writer is a Pakistani sports journalists, heads the sports department at News One TV & tweets @mak_asif
Muhammad Asif Khan 