Standing Committee Exposed Pakistan Hockey: Corruption and Fruds
Written by: Sports friend Shahid Ulhaq
Standing Committee Exposed Pakistan Hockey: Corruption and Fruds
Written by: Sports friend Shahid Ulhaq
Pakistan’s national game, once the pride of the nation, has been reduced to a battlefield of corruption, politics, and disgrace. The recent National Assembly Standing Committee meeting, chaired by MNA Sana Ullah Khan Masti Khel, exposed once again the ugly truth: the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is drowning in financial scandals, yet its leadership continues to walk with impunity.
Confronted with damning audit reports and repeated objections by the Pakistan Sports Board, the Federation’s President Tariq Bughti and Secretary Rana Mujahid had no answers. Instead, they shamelessly attempted to stage a cover-up by posing for pictures with the committee chairman, as if photo-ops could erase billions worth of corruption.
The evidence, however, is undeniable. Audit findings reveal large-scale financial irregularities, with funds misappropriated while players were left unpaid. The so-called “parachute president,” Tariq Bughti appointed under controversial circumstances, has pocketed millions in TA/DA claims. Shockingly, former Olympians and senior officials—who should have been the custodians of integrity—are repeatedly implicated.
Among the most notorious names is Rana Mujahid, the current Secretary of PHF, who has been twice involved in major corruption scandals. Yet, instead of facing accountability, he continues to enjoy power within the system—an indictment of how deeply corruption is entrenched in Pakistan Hockey.
This is not a new story. From Akhtar Rasool and Asif Bajwa, to Brig. (R) Khalid Khokhar, to Rana Shabbaz Ahmed, and now Rana Mujahid—the list of tainted officials grows, but accountability never arrives. Senate and National Assembly sessions have repeatedly turned into spectacles of humiliation, with blame games and mudslinging, but no justice.
So, the burning question remains: Who protects them?
Is the Prime Minister’s House complicit, having appointed unqualified individuals like Buggti to lead the Federation?
Is the Pakistan Sports Board guilty of negligence and silence?
Are aides and advisors deliberately blocking true reports from reaching the Prime Minister?
Or are powerful forces deliberately ensuring that corruption findings and committee recommendations are buried before action is taken?
One truth cannot be denied: Pakistan Hockey is alive not because of its Federation, but in spite of it. The real credit goes to the players and grassroots coaches who dedicate their time and passion, keeping the game alive despite a corrupt system feeding off their sacrifices.
If Pakistan truly wants to revive hockey, the solution is clear: prosecute the corrupt, depoliticize the sport, and hand over the national game to competent, visionary leadership. Until then, hockey will remain hostage to corrupt officials while players bleed for a broken system.
By: Sports Friend SHAHID ULHAQ ;
Former National Basketball Player | Fitness Coach of National Teams | Sports Writer & Vlogger
Cell: +92-333-5000565 ; YouTube: SPOFIT ;Email: spofit@gmail.com
