The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) National Hockey Championship is set to begin on June 17 at the Khan Ashraf Memorial Sports Complex, Pothi Bala, Rawalakot. The championship will be played on AJK’s only AstroTurf field. The opening ceremony will be graced by former Olympian of Pakistan, Naeem Akhtar, as the chief guest.
Organized under the supervision of the AJK Department of Sports and in collaboration with the AJK Hockey Association, all expenses of the championship will be borne by the Government of Azad Kashmir.
Teams from all ten districts of AJK, as well as a selected team from Kashmir Police and two host teams from Poonch, will participate in the tournament.
Poonch holds a record of winning the AJK National Hockey Championship 22 times. Teams from Bhimber and Sudhnoti have also previously claimed the championship title, showcasing their talent. The only AstroTurf field in AJK was laid in Rawalakot, a project made possible during the tenure of then-President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, General (r) Aziz Khan.
The AstroTurf was installed after consistent efforts by a delegation from Rawalakot Hockey Association comprising the late Manzoor Khan, Ashraf Chauhan, Sharif Khan, Shahid Mukhtar, and Asif Ashraf, under the guidance of Mukhtar Khan Advocate and Secretary Khurshid Khan. The tournament’s modern format and the rare opportunity to watch matches on AstroTurf have sparked great enthusiasm among local hockey fans in Rawalakot.