LAHORE, Oct 13 (APP): Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said on Wednesday that the First Chief Minister Punjab 5-a-Side National Women Hockey Championship will be an ideal platform to young female hockey players of the country to exhibit their hockey skills.

He said the event is being organised to prepare Pakistan female hockey players for first-ever FIH Hockey 5s World Cup scheduled to be staged in Oman’s capital city, Muscat.

It may be noted here that Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will field two teams each in CM Punjab tournament while Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, Islamabad, Army, HEC, Wapda and Railways will enter one team each in the competition scheduled to be staged at National Hockey Stadium from October 15 to 20.

Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti further said Pakistan girls have been blessed with plenty of hockey potential.

“This event will also play a key role in enhancing the confidence of our women and they will be able to perform their duty in other fields as well with a great amount of confidence especially in an environment when there are a large number of harassment cases emerging against women”.

The Punjab Minister for Sports said the holding Women Hockey Championship is a big step and it will help a lot in making the future of hockey bright among the females of Pakistan.

“The players from all parts of the country are featuring in this grand event and we are quite upbeat that Pakistan

women hockey will get several talented female hockey players after this championship,” he added.

He said Pakistan women should participate in a maximum number of hockey competitions.

“We will provide every kind of assistance for the promotion of hockey among womenfolk”.