LAHORE, 29 December 2004 — Pakistan has appointed a leading oil industry executive as its new field hockey chief after a retired military chief resigned from the post at the end of his four-year term, officials said yesterday.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, also the patron of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), has appointed head of state oil company Tariq Kirmani as the new hockey chief, an official statement said.
The 58-year-old Kirmani has a vast experience of multinational companies and has played a major role in the transformation of the state-run Pakistan State Oil, where he is the managing director.
The outgoing official, who retired this year as military chief, said he strived hard to bring trophies home but had to leave with regrets.
“I did my best and this is a regret that despite talent and efforts Pakistan did not regain Olympic glory and the Asian title,” Abdul Aziz Khan told a press conference.
Pakistan, winner of three Olympic golds and four world titles, have not won an Olympic medal since their bronze in 1992.
They have also failed to win the Asian title since 1990 and plummeted to their worst fourth position in the last Asian Games held in Busan, South Korea in 2002.
Pakistan’s last major achievements at international level were the World Cup win in Sydney, Australia and the Champions Trophy in Lahore — both in 1994.
The PHF has also announced that former Olympian Asif Bajwa will replace Dutchman Roelant Oltmans as head coach of the senior team while another former Olympian Tahir Zaman has been appointed coach of the junior team.
Oltmans completed a one-year contract after the Champions Trophy held in Lahore earlier this month, where Pakistan finished third.
Pakistan’s junior team will play an eight-match home and away series with arch rivals India in February before participating in the Junior World Cup in the Netherlands in June and July next year.
