Sports Department Rawalpindi Division, Education Department Rawalpindi Division and the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) jointly organized a ceremony at Govt Viqar-un-Nisa Post Graduate College for Women for the distribution of hockey kits and equipment among schools in Rawalpindi Division as part of efforts to promote and develop the national sport at the grassroots level.
The ceremony aimed to encourage young hockey players and provide them with the necessary sporting facilities to pursue the game.
A dedicated online registration portal had been established for the distribution of hockey kits, through which schools from different parts of Rawalpindi Division registered themselves. A total of 142 registrations were received through the portal, on the basis of which hockey kits were provided to the registered schools and their affiliated players.
The organisers said the distribution of kits would be carried out in phases across all divisions through the joint efforts of the Sports Department, Education Department and Pakistan Hockey Federation.
Federal Minister for Railways M Hanif Abbasi, Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Barrister Daniyal Ch, Prime Minister's Coordinator Mehrin Sajjad, Federal Secretary for Inter-Provincial Coordination and PHF President Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, Additional Commissioner Consolidation Rawalpindi Dr Mansoor Ahmed, Olympian Shehnaz Sheikh and Olympian Nasir Ali attended the ceremony as guests of honour.
Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Railways M Hanif Abbasi, Federal Secretary for Inter-Provincial Coordination and PHF President Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani and other speakers highlighted the importance of promoting hockey at the school and grassroots levels. They appreciated the initiative to provide young players with equipment and facilities to help develop the sport.
Divisional Sports Officer Rawalpindi Ch Waheed Ahmed, District Sports Officer Shams Tauheed Abbasi, Tehsil Sports Officer Rawalpindi M Rehmatullah Sial, Assistant Divisional Sports Officer Saeed Ahmed, Assistant District Sports Officer M Sajid and their respective staff played an active role in making arrangements for the ceremony.