Long before most of the girls in Pakistan’s triumphant women’s cricket squad were born, women were playing hockey in various centres of the country in a pretty organised manner.

It was almost three decades ago that women’s hockey began in Pakistan but sadly our hockey girls have been unable to achieve glory like our female cricketers, who won the Asian Games gold medal in the Chinese city of Guangzhou last November. Even in swimming and athletics, Pakistan have achieved sporting glory through their women but hockey continues to languish far behind.

And it seems that the fault lies with the policy-makers who run women’s hockey. In December last year, the Inter Division Hockey tournament was held in Karachi and four teams participated in the knockout-style tournament. And the sad part is whether a team of upcoming girls can learn the game by playing just one game in the eventuality of a knockout.

It is no secret that there was a great deal of politics and family influence involved in women’s cricket just a few years back. However, a complete overhaul of the system reaped rewards in the shape of the recent Asian Games gold.

Similar were the achievements of swimmer Kiran Khan and sprinter Naseem Hameed. Kiran has won five gold medals at international level whilst Naseem is the fastest woman in South Asia.

Sindh Women Association (SWA) Secretary Lubna Baloch admitted that women’s hockey is passing through a tough phase and linked it with the political turmoil in the country coupled with financial constraints.

“The Inter Division Hockey Championship which was not held since the last twenty years was revived so that at least an important event does not go to waste but due to meagre financial resources, it was held on a knockout basis,” she told ‘The News’.

Lubna Baloch mentioned that the National Women’s Hockey Championship which kicks off on Tuesday (today) would be held on a league basis so that players have an opportunity to hone their skills.

Comparing the performances of women hockey players to other disciplines, she said that as far as the role of the present management in women’s hockey is concerned, the current body needs time to make necessary changes in the structure.

“ Before the successes of Pakistan’s mens team in the Asian Games, hockey activities were going through a decline in the country and similar was the case with women’s hockey,” Lubna Baloch observed.

“But a breakthrough Asian Games gold medal by the men’s team means that its effects would also come towards women’s hockey.”