The Board is being set-up by PHF President Qasim Zia as pressure continues from former players and administrators for a radical shake-up of how the sport is run in Pakistan.

Shahnaz Sheikh, a member of the Pakistan team that won the World Cup in 1971 and 1978 and the silver and bronze medals at the 1972 and 1976 Olympics and one of 98 former players demanding changes, claimed that he believed that the PHF was also guilty of financial mismanagement.

He said: "There is something going on behind the scenes.

"People are talking about some kind of a cover-up and I also suspect that there could be financial mismanagement within the PHF which is why there is a resistance to calls that a new secretary should take over replacing Asif Bajwa, the man whom we all believe should be held responsible for Pakistan’s humiliating performance in the World Cup.

"By allowing Bajwa to continue as secretary, Qasim Zia has taken a fatal decision for Pakistan hockey.

"After what happened at the World Cup there is no justification to protect him."

Shahnaz revealed that he has written to Chaudhry Nisar Ahmed, the chairman Public Accounts Committee (PAC), to launch an inquiry into PHF’s accounts.

He said: "This PHF set-up has received hundreds of millions of rupees from the Government.

"I believe that it spent almost 200 million rupees (£1.5 million) on World Cup preparations during the last 18 months or so.

"All of those precious funds have gone down the drain with the 12th position in the World Cup."

Islahuddin Siddiqui, a member of the Pakistan teams that won the World Cup in 1971 and 1978 and who managed them to the Olympic title at Los Angeles in 1984, said that Olympians and internationals have joined hands from "Karachi to Khyber" to save Pakistan hockey.

He said: "Pakistan hockey is heading towards complete disaster.

"The man responsible for it is Asif Bajwa.

"He called all the shots and should take responsibility for the World Cup debacle.

"Give us the reasons why he can’t be removed."

The PHF have already opened discussions with foreign coaches about taking over the team.

It was under Dutch coach Hans Jorritsma that Pakistan won the 1994 World Cup in Sydney, their last major international victory.


Related stories
March 2010: Pakistan greats demand sacking of Bajwa after World Cup flop
March 2010: Pakistan hockey team all announce retirements after humiliation
February 2010: Pakistan set for hockey World Cup after security briefing
January 2010: Pakistan to be given extra protection in Delhi for World Cup
December 2009: Pakistan to offer financial incentives to players