Olympians Hassan Sardar, Islahuddin to co-chair Professional Development Committee as PHF restructures administration
The Pakistan Hockey Federation announced on Sunday the formation of an Adhoc Governance and Management Committee, marking a structural shift aimed at modernising the sport’s administration and elevating the standards of hockey across the country.
In a move for technical excellence, Olympians Hassan Sardar and Islahuddin will co-chair the newly formed Professional Development Committee. Their mandate includes overseeing national team selection, specialised training protocols, and establishing rigorous benchmarks for coaches and players.
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According to an official statement, the two icons will also co-chair the Professional Advisory Committee, which will be responsible for long-term management selection, with additional members to be appointed in consultation with the two.
As part of the restructuring, the PHF has separated corporate governance, marketing, and resource mobilisation from technical hockey operations to ensure specialised oversight. The newly appointed committee members are as follows, Captain Farrukh Atique will handle Human Resources and Finance; Shakeel Shah (Member Customs) will oversee Departmental Coordination and Outreach; Amir Ibrahim, Chief Executive Officer of Jazz, will lead Corporate and Marketing Support; Ghulam Ali Mallah, Executive Director of Inter Board Coordination Commission (IBCC), will manage School and College Sports Promotion; and Brigadier (retd) Akmal Aziz will be responsible for Services and Institutional Coordination.
All members will serve on an honourary basis.
“This is an interim roadmap to correct the direction. There is no shortcut for success, but clear direction and seriousness of effort will be visible,” said a PHF spokesperson, adding that the federation intends to mobilise all institutions to connect hockey at the grassroots level.
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The PHF said the reforms reflect its commitment to transparency and professional merit, ensuring that the national game receives the corporate and technical expertise required for a global comeback, with the federation expressing confidence that the changes will restore Pakistan hockey to its former glory.
After Pakistan’s hockey chief, Tariq Bugti resigned from his post on February 19, a day after the prime minister ordered an inquiry into a shambolic tour of Australia that saw the national team scrubbing dishes in a guest house, a standoff between the national squad and team management cast a shadow over Pakistan’s preparations for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers.
However, the controversy surrounding the coaching setup of the Pakistan hockey team was finally resolved earlier today, with the national team set to depart for Egypt on February 24 to compete in the qualifiers under the supervision of newly appointed coaches.
