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Tariq Bugti has stepped down as President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), while national men’s team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt has been handed a two-year ban by the federation.
Bugti submitted his resignation to Shehbaz Sharif and defended his performance in a farewell statement, pointing to an improvement in Pakistan’s global standing.
“Our world ranking was 18th, and now it stands at 13th. This is our accomplishment,” he said, adding that he had “tried utmost for two years” to push the national team forward.
He also thanked the government for allocating Rs250 million to support hockey during his tenure.
“The Prime Minister allocated 250 million rupees for hockey and released the funds. I am primarily grateful to the Prime Minister for allowing me to serve for two years,” he added.
However, Bugti acknowledged persistent administrative hurdles, particularly during the national team’s recent tour of Australia.
He claimed the tour was marred by issues involving the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), stressing that the federation lacked sufficient independent funds to manage operations smoothly.
Despite stepping aside, Bugti expressed optimism about the team’s future in the upcoming qualifiers and revealed that the schedule had already been submitted to the Sports Board by Rana Mujahid.
“The team will perform well in the upcoming qualifying round,” he predicted.
He also called for a high-level inquiry into recent incidents of what he termed “privilege indiscipline,” urging authorities to ensure accountability for any wrongdoing.
The resignation comes amid fallout from viral videos during the FIH Pro League leg in Australia, which showed Pakistan players living in substandard accommodation due to logistical and financial complications.
Initial hotel bookings were reportedly cancelled over non-payment, forcing team management to arrange alternative lodging with the help of the local community, often with four to five players sharing a single room and bookings falling short of covering the full stay.
On the field, Pakistan endured a disappointing campaign, remaining winless in Australia with defeats against Australia (3-2, 3-0) and Germany (5-2, 6-1).
Looking ahead, Pakistan are scheduled to continue their FIH Pro League campaign with matches against Belgium on June 13 and 20, Spain on June 14, followed by high-profile clashes with arch-rivals India on June 23 and 26, and England on June 24 and 27.
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