Manzoor Hussain Atif Memorial Hockey

Sargodha – Pakistan, Mar 08, 2013: According to the PHF, First Brigadier ® Manzoor Hussain Atif Memorial Hockey Tournament will start at the Sargodha Hockey Stadium here on Sunday. Ten teams are featuring in the Event which will end on March 19.

Announcing the draws in a press conference at the office of Markazi Anjuman Tajirans former Olympian and tournament Director Muhammad Shafqat briefed the media that the participating teams have been divided into two groups. He said two matches will be played on the opening day. Semi-finals will be played on March 18.

Shafqat disclosed that Police and PAF will play the inaugural match which will start at 1 pm. The second match will be played between NBP and Wapda (A). Shafqat who also belonged to Sargodha expressed delight that a national level hockey tournament was being played in the city of Shaheens which produced Olympian Shabbir Ahmed and many international players like Saeed Ahmed, Afzal Dogar, Malik Javed, Ahmed Hasan Tahir Saleem, Naib Ali and Aisam Qadir. He hoped that the Sargodhians will witness hotly contested matches during the Event because current Olympians and internationals are taking part in this Tournament which reflected its high standard also.

Shafqat informed that the District Coordination Officer Tariq Mahmood will be the chief guest on the opening day. “Tariq Mahmood has not only extended full cooperation for the successful holding of the tournament but also deputed Irfan Butt as liaison officer to facilitate the Tournament Committee,” Shafqat added. Former Olympian Anjum Saeed, President Sargodha District Hockey Association (SDHA), Shabbir Ahmed and SDHA Secretary Malik Aamir Abdullha and Organizing Secretary of the Tournament Fayyaz Ahmed Hanjra, were also present in the press conference.

POOL-A: PIA, Army, Railways, Wapda (B), Punjab. POOL-B: NBP, Wapda (A), Police, Navy, PAF.