COAS General Hails PHF for promoting the national game in the country

Lahore: Chief of the Army Staff has hailed the efforts of Pakistan Hockey Federation to uplift the standard of the national game in the country.

Speaking on the occasion of the final of the First Chief of the Army Staff Challenge Hockey Cup at the Army Stadium here on Sunday, the Army chief appreciated the PHF President Akhtar Rasool Chaudhry and Secretary General Rana Mujahid Ali for going all out to revive Pakistan’s past glory in world hockey. Gen Raheel who was the chief guest at the eve of the final between NBP and PIA watched the full proceedings of the match and applauded beautiful moves made by the players in the middle. He vowed to support hockey which he said was a national duty to look after the national game. He said our players had brought laurels for the country winning a silver medal in the Champions Trophy which was not a small performance. “They deserved to be looked after well”, he said.

Earlier, National Bank of Pakistan lifted the First Chief of the Army Staff Challenge Hockey Cup beating Pakistan International Airlines 2-0 in the final. It was a thrilling encounter between the top teams of the country yet it turned out to be a one sided finish. The bankers exerted pressure on the Airliners soon after the match started in the first quart and scored two goals. Their captain Tousiq converted a penalty corner successfully to earn lead and Shan Irshad netted a field goal to consolidate his teams’ position. After conceding two goals PIA forwards composed themselves and showed aggression in their attacks but failed to change their fate.