Pakistan hockey team’s outlook continues to grow bleaker after local media reported that the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has set an insultingly low new daily allowance for players.
According to veteran journalist Sohail Imran, the PSB has proposed a Rs 400 daily allowance for players during the upcoming season while clearing funds for the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to participate in the FIH Pro League.
The PSB and PHF have been locked in a bitter feud over the alleged misuse of funds, but it is the players who continue to suffer. At present, Pakistan hockey players are entitled to USD 100 per day (about Rs 28,000 according to latest conversion rate) for international events and Rs 3,000 for domestic events.
Pakistan’s national players, who are still awaiting payments for past events, have voiced outrage over the proposal, calling it an insult to their services and sacrifices. Several senior players said the amount being discussed is not even comparable to a laborer’s daily wage, let alone suitable compensation for international athletes representing the country.
“Offering Rs 400 as a daily allowance is like rubbing salt in our wounds,” one seasoned player said. “It’s humiliating. We don’t even have regular jobs, and when allowances do come, they’re often delayed. Now they are talking about just Rs 400—it’s beyond disrespectful.”
The Pakistan Hockey Federation, meanwhile, has distanced itself from the proposal and laid the blame at country’s Sports Board.
“The federation already provides players with a daily allowance of 100 dollars,” PHF Secretary Rana Mujahid said. “If players cannot be satisfied with that, how can they be expected to play for just Rs 400? This directive from the PSB is simply not practical.”
This controversy highlights yet another financial flashpoint in Pakistan hockey, a sport that once dominated the world stage but continues to struggle for survival amid inadequate support and mismanagement.
The upcoming Pro League is a chance for Pakistan to re‑establish itself on the global stage, but as things stand, the team may struggle to field a proper squad while the PSB and PHF remain at odds.