PSB to organise Inter-Provincial Games in grand style

Board to spend Rs137 million for organising the event at par with international standards

Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) aims to organise the first Quaid-e-Azam Inter-Provincial Games along the lines of South Asian Games through the hefty fund, the major chunk of which has already been released by the government to the organisers.

“Without a doubt, its standard will be no less than that of the South Asian Games. You will see it will be of international standards,” PSB Director General Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera told ‘The News’ from Islamabad.

Out of Rs137 million fund already approved for the purpose, the Board has got Rs119 million, thus far.

“We hope the rest of the amount will also be released soon,” said Ganjera, who is also the organising secretary of the Games.

The slots will be held from April 4-7 at Pakistan Sports Complex in the federal capital.

In the four-day affair, as many as 2500 to 3000 players and officials from the four provinces, Islamabad, Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) would be featuring in 14 different disciplines.

The disciplines include: athletics (men, women), basketball (men, women), judo (men, women), badminton (men, women), hockey (men, women), boxing (men), wrestling (men), tennis (men, women), squash (men, women), taekwondo (men, women), karate (men, women), table tennis (men, women), football (men, women) and volleyball (men, women).

Ganjera said the preparations were in full swing, adding, several meetings with the relevant federations and the provinces have already been held.

“A few more meetings with them would also be held in the coming few days,” he said.

The federations would provide technical support to the organisers, Ganjera said. The organising committee is being headed by the secretary of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Mohammad Ali Gardezi. The IPC minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada heads the steering committee which also includes the secretary IPC, secretary Interior Ministry, secretary finance, chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad’s Chief Commissioner, IG Islamabad, chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC), Executive Director Lok Virsa, secretary Information, DG PSB and a representative of Pakistan Olympic Association (POA).

Ganjera said various sub-committees had also been formed for discharging different functions.

Ganjera informed that the first meeting of the steering committee would be held on Tuesday (today). The Games would formally be opened by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif.

“The PM House has agreed in principle that the PM would open the event. However, it is subject to the clearance of the Minsitry of Interior,” Ganjera revealed.

The event was scheduled to be held last summer but was postponed on the advice of the prime minister as it was not possible because of the simmering heat.

Ganjera said the teams had already been formed and some units had started their training.

“The participating units have been strictly advised not to field players over 25 years of age,” Ganjera said.

“We want to see youth in action as it is our future,” Ganjera said. He said the respective units would be made payment in time.

“Every unit will have an office here at the venue. We will give them cheques in advance so that they could meet their expenses, which the organisers are bound to cover,” he said.

The athletes will start arriving in the capital on April 2.

He said a few former greats of different sports would also be part of the torch-relay.

Ganjera said the athletes would be provided with the best accommodation facilities of international standard.

“We are currently working on this area,” Ganjera conceded.

He said a well-facilited media centre has also been established. He said the government did not provide fund for renovation purposes.

“But it did not matter as the complex does not lack anything,” he was quick to add.

He said water-tight security arrangements would be made for the purpose. He also added that the event would help Pakistan prepare organisers who would then be able to hold the South Asian Games in future.

Leading singers are also being hired for the opening and closing ceremonies in order to add to the colours of the maiden affair.

(Source: The News)