KARACHI: Pakistani hockey officials are racing against time to find ‘suitable’ national selectors ahead of this week’s national team selection for October’s Hamburg Masters in Germany.

A top Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) official told ‘The News’ that a new set of selectors is expected to be appointed within the next few days.

Pakistan are without a selection committee following the resignation of chief selector Islahuddin Siddiqui and selection committee member Col (retd) Mudassar Asghar. The duo stepped down last week following Pakistan’s embarrassing eighth position finish in the Olympic Games in Beijing in August.

PHF secretary Asif Bajwa said that the federation is mulling several options and is expected to announce the names of new selectors ahead of a decision on the 18-man Pakistan squad for the four-nation Hamburg Masters. Pakistan are to announce their team for the October 3-5 Hamburg quadrangular following one-day trials here at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium on September 12.

“We are looking for suitable men for the job of selectors,” said Bajwa. “The idea is to have people with solid credentials and they (new selectors) should be in the position to give their best to the job,” he added.

While Bajwa is confident that new selectors will be appointed without much fuss, well-placed sources told this correspondent that it won’t be that easy.

Bajwa doesn’t enjoy a good working relationship with PHF president Zafarullah Khan Jamali and the duo could be in for a confrontation on the appointment of new selectors.

Jamali didn’t welcome Bajwa’s appointment as PHF secretary this summer. He still grudges the fact that it was the Sports Ministry that replaced Khalid Mehmood, the previous PHF secretary, with Bajwa without his (Jamali’s) consent.