Army Chief Inter-Club Hockey Tournament Has Revived Hockey at the Grassroots Level, Says Syed Zahir Shah

 

Musarrat Ullah Jan , Kikxnow, Digital Creator

Real development of hockey comes from clubs and grassroots, not from exhibition events

The Army Chief Inter-Club Hockey Tournament has played a key role in reviving hockey at the grassroots level, according to Syed Zahir Shah, President of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Hockey Association and Vice President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation. Speaking in detail about hockey development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, grassroots activities, the Army Chief Inter-Club Hockey Tournament, and recent criticism raised in the provincial assembly, he shared his views openly and at length.

Syed Zahir Shah said that continuity and work at the grassroots level are the most important factors in the development of any sport, and recent hockey activities are a positive step in that direction.

Talking about the Army Chief Inter-Club Hockey Tournament, he said its biggest strength is continuity. This is not a one-off or symbolic event. It was held last year and has been organized again this year with a proper system in place. Without continuity, neither players are produced nor does a system become strong. The true spirit of hockey lies at the club and grassroots level, and the Pakistan Army has once again demonstrated this in practice.

He expressed sincere gratitude to the Pakistan Army for reviving grassroots hockey. He said the Army has provided not only financial support but also administrative and moral backing. When institutions stand with sports, the impact is directly felt on the ground and by the players. Through this tournament, inter-club championships were held in almost all districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, except Abbottabad, where the process could not be completed for certain reasons. In the rest of the province, club-level competitions were organized, bringing not hundreds but thousands of players onto the field.

According to Syed Zahir Shah, finals have been completed in most districts, and in the remaining few, this stage will be completed within a day or two. After that, district champion teams will move on to regional championships. He said the regional championship is likely to be held from the 30th to the 2nd, and the top teams from there will qualify for national-level competitions organized under the Pakistan Hockey Federation.

He explained that this system is not limited to tournaments alone. One of its major objectives is to bring transparency to the hockey structure. For the first time, matches are being monitored, video clips are being prepared on a daily basis and shared with relevant authorities, and a complete database has been developed. This data clearly shows which clubs are genuinely active, which are bringing players to the field, and which exist only on paper.

Syed Zahir Shah clarified that participation in the tournament was mandatory for every registered club. Any club that did not take part is, in practical terms, inactive or fictitious. There is no justification for keeping such clubs in the system. Under this policy, action was taken against certain clubs in Peshawar district and their registrations were questioned. He added that the same process will be implemented gradually in other districts, and wherever a registered club fails to participate in activities or provide the required number of players, action will be unavoidable.

He said the real heroes are those people who, without any personal gain, bring children to the fields purely for the sake of the game. These are the organizers and club officials who spend from their own pockets to arrange kits, transport, and grounds, and who give children opportunities to play and compete. If hockey is alive today, it is because of these unsung heroes, and institutions must recognize and respect their efforts.

Responding to questions about objections raised by some Olympians in the provincial assembly, Syed Zahir Shah said that the Pakistan Hockey Federation is working strictly in accordance with the Constitution of Pakistan, the National Sports Policy, and existing laws. Every step taken by the federation, whether related to activities or future elections, is within the legal framework. He said hockey activities are currently underway across Pakistan, with club-level competitions taking place in every district, players actively engaged, and a positive environment developing. Claims that nothing is happening in hockey are contrary to ground realities.

He further explained that the election system of the Hockey Federation is very clear. Elections are based on registered clubs. Anyone who wants to be part of this system must form a club in their district, get it registered, secure a majority at the district level, then move to the provincial level, and eventually contest elections at the national level. It is not possible for any individual or group to parachute in from the top and take control of the system. There is no parachute culture in hockey.

Syed Zahir Shah said many of the statements made on the assembly floor were incomplete and taken out of context. If someone has genuine complaints, proper forums exist. The law is there, courts are available, and there are consultation mechanisms within the federation. Creating controversy by raising such issues in the media or the assembly is not in the best interest of hockey.

He added that even if all the world’s top Olympians were to come together, hockey elections would still be held on a club basis. Being a player is an honor, but the administrative system is a separate structure. Those who wish to hold administrative positions must work their way up from the grassroots. This is the global norm and applies in Pakistan as well.

He emphasized that personal disputes of one or a few individuals cannot be imposed on thousands of clubs, coaches, and players. At present, a large-scale activity is underway across Pakistan through the Army Chief Inter-Club Hockey Tournament. There is a clear pathway from district to regional, provincial, and then national level. At this point, there is no bigger or more effective activity for hockey.

In conclusion, Syed Zahir Shah said that if Pakistan truly wants to restore hockey to its former stature, it must move away from politics, personal interests, and blame games, and return to the field. Children must be given opportunities to play, clubs must be activated, and the system must be strengthened. The Army Chief Inter-Club Hockey Tournament is a strong step in this direction, and if continuity is maintained, its positive results will be visible in the coming years.

#coas #hockey #kpk #Kp #pakistan #sports #hockeysports #kikxnow #digitalcreator #musarratullahjan’