ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has decided that the national junior hockey team will not participate in the upcoming Junior Hockey World Cup, scheduled to take place in India from November 28 to December 10.
The decision was finalized during a high-level meeting in Islamabad, where officials discussed concerns over player security and India’s increasingly hostile stance toward Pakistan in sports, particularly after recent tensions witnessed during the Asia Cup cricket tournament.
A senior PHF official confirmed the development, saying:
“The PHF and the government have jointly agreed not to compromise on the safety of our players. Therefore, we’ve decided not to send the team to India. The decision will be formally communicated to Hockey India soon.”
Officials noted that while the International Cricket Council (ICC) has adopted a policy of neutral venues for Indo-Pak encounters to minimize political and security complications, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has not implemented any such arrangement. The absence of a hybrid model, officials said, played a major role in Pakistan’s withdrawal.
It’s worth noting that Pakistan had also skipped the Asia Cup in India last month, even though that event served as a qualifier for next year’s World Cup highlighting how strained sporting ties have become between the two neighbors.
Meanwhile, the issue of PHF elections also came under discussion during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination, chaired by MNA Sheikh Aftab Ahmed.
During the meeting, the convener of the sub-committee presented a report on the PHF’s internal matters, stating that the federation had agreed to scrutinize its affiliated clubs and hold elections accordingly.
PHF Secretary Rana Mujahid informed the committee that both issues elections and club scrutiny would be placed before the PHF Executive Committee in its meeting on November 7, after which a formal announcement would be made.
The parliamentary committee directed the PHF to ensure that the Election Commission includes representation from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and that the club scrutiny process be conducted transparently with PSB participation.
Sources close to the federation said the PHF’s focus remains on internal restructuring and ensuring future participation in international events takes place under secure and neutral conditions.
