Sharjah: The United Emirates Hockey Club (UEHC) in collaboration with the UAE Hockey committee and Pakistan Social Centre Sharjah will celebrate Pakistan Independence Day Hockey Festival at the Institute of Applied Technology today and tomorrow.
Renowned hockey clubs in the UAE will be participating in this festival, Raza Abidi, chief organiser of the event and captain of Iqbal XI team, said while addressing a press conference at a local hotel.
Going into the festival's details, Abidi said: "Students and staff from the Preston University Ajman will take part in the festival with their musical band to enlighten the joys of independence."
Abidi added that young pupils from various schools in the UAE will be performing the national anthems of the UAE and Pakistan.
In addition to these activities a junior exhibition hockey match between the Sharjah Tigers and Sharjah Youngsters will be played at 6.00 pm and a final hockey match between the Jinnah XI and Iqbal XI is scheduled to be held at 8.00 pm.
Patron-In-Chief of the festival Khurshid Husnain addressed the media, saying the festival will be in full swing when H.E Dr Mohammad Ali Shah, minister of sports for the Government of Pakistan, will conduct the prize distribution ceremony along with Esmail Ali Al Banna, president of the UAE Hockey committee.
Husnain expressed gratitude for the courteous support from the Pakistan Embassy of Abu Dhabi and the Consul General Office of Dubai to celebrate the Independence Day Festival.
This event is also officially approved by the general authority of youth and sports affairs of the UAE.
Syed Husnain confirmed that Dr Saeed Khan Mehmand, Consul General of Pakistan, will attend the ceremony on behalf of Ambassador of Pakistan Khurshid Ahmad Junejo.
Speaking at the press conference, Safdar Cheema stressed the need and importance to promote hockey through such activities in the UAE.
He said that all players from all the UAE hockey clubs will perform with zeal and zest and that all the spectators will see the high quality of Pakistan's national sports.
He requested that all Pakistanis as well as hockey lovers to witness the event join in at the cake ceremony arranged by Ravi Group.
