Qasim Zia, the President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), inaugurated the academy and pledged his committment to helping women's hockey develop.

Among those attending the ceremony were Tanzeela Amir Cheema, the secretary of the women's section of the PHF, and PHF secretary Asif Bajwa and Zahid Sharif, a member of the Pakistan team that finished fifth in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, who is in charge of the academy, which is open to players under the age of 18.

Qasim said: "Although the women wing is there to take care of the women hockey but the PHF is always there to help and support them at every step of development."

Pakistan's men team have won the Olympic title three times and the World Cup four times but the women have never competed at the top level.

Qasim said: "I hope the girls, who are joining the academy in such young age will be able to shine and bring laurels for the country and of course this is the right age to learn any game.

"We have plans of setting up more academy in other cities as well.

"Since this is our national game and I said on the first day when took over as the President PHF that I will encourage men and women in this field."