Mohali: Pakistan will be among the six countries that would compete in next month’s Men’s Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Monday, citing the union government’s policy which allows the arch-foes to play on Indian soil during multi-lateral engagements.
The Asian Champions Trophy, to be held from October 27 to November 5, will feature India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Korea and will be played at Jalandhar and Mohali’s hockey stadiums.
Two reserve teams — Oman and Bangladesh — have also been named for the tournament in case of pullouts. The event, which is held under the aegis of the Asian Hockey Federation, is an annual competition but was not held last year.
India enter the competition as defending champions, having won the title in 2023 (Chennai) and 2024 (Hulunbuir, China).
“There is no problem in multi-national tournaments. May be individual series (India and Pakistan) cannot take place,” Mann said when asked about Pakistan’s participation and whether the requisite clearances have been taken for it.
The central sports policy with regards to Pakistan bars any bilateral engagement with the country against which India launched a brief military offensive just last year after the Pahalgam terror attack killed 26 people.
However, adhering to the Olympic Charter, the Sports Ministry has stated that the two countries can compete against each other in multi-lateral events and India would not stop athletes from across the border to play here for such engagements.
Despite this, Pakistan had withdrawn from the Junior World Cup of hockey in Tamil Nadu last year, citing high tensions between the two countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.
Mann said league stage ACT matches will be played at Jalandhar, while the semi-final and the final will be played in Mohali stadium.
Assuring full support for hosting the event, Mann said Punjab is committed to ensuring the successful organisation of the first-ever tournament in the state’s history.
Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh, who was also in attendance at Monday’s event, said the relationship between the hockey federations of India and Pakistan is “excellent”.
“I want to say this on record that we share very good relations between the hockey federations of India and Pakistan.
“You must have noticed that whenever I go, if the Indian team defeats Pakistan, I meet the Pakistani team first. The boys (players) there also show immense respect,” said Singh.
Mann said the participation of Pakistan adds an enormous sporting dimension to the championship and will naturally attract hockey lovers from across the region and the country.
“The India-Pakistan encounter on November 1 in Jalandhar will be one of the biggest attractions of the tournament. The match will coincide with Punjab Day, making the occasion even more special for the people of Punjab. India and Pakistan may have their rivalries on the hockey field, but sport has its own language,” Mann said.
“For hockey lovers, the India-Pakistan match is not about hatred. It is about the passion of hockey, the roar of the spectators and the beauty of sport,” said Mann.
Mann said the Punjab government has committed Rs 25.40 crore for the successful organisation of the championship.
Mann also said that entry to all matches will be completely free.
“Punjab’s people have given hockey its heart, so when international hockey returns to Punjab, the people must be able to watch it without any financial barrier,” the CM said.
The Asian Champions Trophy will commence on October 27 in Jalandhar and the final match will be held in Mohali on November 5.