LAHORE: Distinguished former Pakistani hockey player Sultan Ahmad, now settled in Holland, visited Pakistan recently.

Born in Sahiwal, Sultan moved to Holland in 1990. He now owns several stores there. As a center forward, he was recognized as a precocious talent. “While playing for the Punjab, I was named the best player at the Interprovincial Under-14 Championships in 1984, which earned me a scholarship from the Pakistan Sports Board. In 1986, I toured Europe with the Pakistan Sports Board team and was the team’s top scorer. The side included many future stars like Tahir Zaman, Rana Mujahid, Anjum Saeed, and Akhlaq. Unfortunately, I developed a persistent hamstring problem.

I played in the domestic circuit until 1989 and was also called up for the national junior camp that year, but I felt I wasn’t performing at my best.” Sultan shifted to Holland in 1990. He was still good enough to play for a top club in the Hoofdklasse, the highest tier of the Dutch league.

Sultan met Dar Hockey Academy’s President, Olympic gold medallist Tauqeer Dar, in Lahore. “For more than 15 years, Dar HA has been the leading source of talent for the national teams,” Sultan said.

Tauqeer recognized Sultan’s support, stating, “Sultan has been regularly assisting the academy financially. Dar HA has made six training tours to Holland since 2010, and Sultan has been a tremendous help each time. He was always at the Amsterdam airport to receive the team and catered to their needs, including halal food.” Tauqeer Dar presented Sultan with the academy insignia.