Officials of the Pakistan Navy have been accused of mistreating players and coaches of the national hockey team during a training session in Lahore for the Asia Cup.
According to the details, the junior hockey team was training at the DHA Hockey Stadium when the Navy officials arrived to take away midfield player Sufyan Khan, who is also a Navy employee.
Goalkeeping coach Mazhar Abbas and drag-flick coach Rana Zubair – who filed the complaint – alleged that the Navy officials behaved rudely with the coaches and players while looking for Sufyan.
Furthermore, the Navy officials were also accused of lining up around 50 probable players at the training camp while detaining a coach in their jeep for about half an hour.
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As per the complainants, Sufyan was not present at the camp when the Navy team arrived as it was a rest day. He was attending the camp after being relieved of his duties from the Navy, which he had shown to the Navy officials. However, the Navy officials claimed that the letter to discharge Sufyan had been canceled.
The officials of the camp have requested the Pakistan Hockey Federation to investigate the incident and take appropriate action, emphasizing the camp players had been disturbed by the humiliating incident.
Pertinent to mention that the Pakistan Navy besides its primary mission of protecting the sea frontiers is also actively engaged in various aspects of nation-building, which includes imparting quality education, conducting disaster relief operations, patronizing various social welfare activities, and playing an active role in the promotion of sports in the country.
The Navy is already patronizing water sports – sailing, rowing, canoeing – besides extending full support to squash and golf. However, the Navy has also launched the CNS Hockey Championship which is part of the PHF calendar besides laying a five-a-side synthetic pitch at the Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium. It also expressed interest in sponsoring the national hockey team.
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