PHF president Tariq Bugti resigns, imposes a two-year ban on captain Amad Butt

LAHORE: Outgoing President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), Tariq Bugti, has resigned from his position and announced a two-year ban on national team captain Imad Butt, barring him from both domestic and international hockey.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Bugti confirmed that he had sent his resignation to the Prime Minister. In a significant decision before stepping down, he declared that Imad Butt would not be eligible to play any form of hockey for the next two years.

The development comes amid controversy surrounding the Pakistan hockey team’s recent tour of Australia, where allegations of mismanagement and administrative failures surfaced. Bugti urged the Prime Minister and the Field Marshal to form an independent committee to investigate the matter thoroughly.

“I request the Prime Minister and the Field Marshal to constitute a committee to probe the irregularities during the Pro League tour. Whoever is found responsible must be punished,” Bugti said.

He alleged that the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) failed to release funds on time for hotel bookings during the Australia tour, which led to logistical issues for the team. According to Bugti, despite personally visiting the PSB to request the immediate release of funds, he was informed that the payment process would take up to two months.

“Due to delays by the PSB, we faced serious problems during the Australia tour. The federation did not have sufficient funds to manage everything on its own at that time,” he stated.

Bugti further revealed that the complete schedule had been presented to the Sports Board by Rana Mujahid and expressed confidence that the team would perform well in the upcoming qualifying round.

Highlighting the federation’s achievements during his tenure, Bugti said Pakistan’s world ranking had improved from 18th to 13th position, calling it a significant accomplishment. He thanked the Field Marshal for his support and expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for allocating and releasing Rs250 million for hockey development over the past two years.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah stated that the Pakistan Sports Board had completed its inquiry into the matter. A three-member committee has prepared a report, which has been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Sources indicate that the report highlights several financial irregularities and holds the Pakistan Hockey Federation responsible for the mismanagement during the tour.

The resignation and the ban on the national captain have added further uncertainty to Pakistan hockey, as the sport continues to grapple with administrative challenges and performance pressures on the international stage.