ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan hockey team has raised objections to the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB)’s offer of a daily allowance of only Rs400, which they termed as inadequate wages.
Initially, the team rejected the PSB’s invitation to a luncheon scheduled for tomorrow, where the players were offered Rs400 per day as pocket money along with a cheque for Rs5,600 for each player.
The allowance was meant to cover their expenses for attending the event.
Team captain Imad Shakeel Butt strongly rejected the offer, saying, “This amount is not even enough to cover the toll expenses.” His strong response highlighted the players’ frustration over minimal financial recognition.
However, after persuasion by Pakistan hockey team coach Tahir Zaman, Imad Butt finally agreed to attend the luncheon in Islamabad.
Six players from the national hockey team have been invited, including Sufyan Khan, Rana Waheed, Abdullah Muneeb-ur-Rehman and Hanan Shahid. Players from other sports have also been invited, such as Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem and weightlifter Noah Dastgir Butt.
The incident has drawn attention to the long-standing problem of inadequate support and financial compensation for Pakistani athletes, particularly in hockey, once the country’s most popular sport.
