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Pak athletes, officials to get top-level security

By Alam Zeb Safi
February 05, 2016

Around 15 athletes, officials yet to get accreditation cards, says POA 

KARACHI: A senior official of the organising committee of the 12th South Asian Games on Thursday promised that not only top security would be provided to Pakistan’s contingent but effort would also be made to resolve the issue of those Pakistani officials and players who had not been issued accreditation cards.

“”You Pakistanis, in particular, should not worry about the security arrangements as they would be provided with tight security during the Games,” Shri RK Sharma, CEO organising committee for Shillong, told ‘The News’ on phone.

“Incidents like what happened in Pathankot are in our mind. We are very careful and have taken solid steps in this regard,” said Sharma, who has served a few years in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

When asked why some of Pakistani officials and players were not issued accreditation cards, Sharma said: “It has not happened only with Pakistanis. Other countries also have such minor issues. These things happen,” Sharma said.

“We are making desperate efforts to issue them clearance provided they complete their documents,” the official said.

Meanwhile, a senior official of Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) said that around 15 officials and a few players were yet to get their accreditation cards.

“We have written five letters to the organsiers in the past two days and have talked to them on phone for five to seven times,” POA’s secretary Khalid Mehmood told this correspondent. “They say that the system does not clear them. I also talked to the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) secretary Rajev Mehta just now and he assured me that they were going to hold a meeting on the issue today and hopefully the matter would be resolved this night,” Khalid said.

“We have been pursuing the case. We have already written a strong letter to the organisers that it is against the Olympic charter and the sports tradition. We reserve the right to review our participation if the issue is not resolved,” the official said.

“We have also informed them in writing if the 15 people are not cleared it will affect Pakistan’s medal tally,” Khalid said.

“We had sent them complete documents two weeks ago,” he said.

Those who are yet to get their cards include Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) secretary Iqbal Hussain, wrestling official Mohammad Salim from Karachi, handball player Imran, hockey forward Samiullah, Zafar Iqbal from athletics and wrestler Abdul Rehman.

The Games will be formally opened in Guwahati on Friday (today).

“All the arrangements have been made. The opening ceremony in Guwahati will be held tomorrow. In Shillong the opening ceremony will be conducted on Saturday,” Sharma said.

The competitions will be held from February 5-16. Pakistan athletes are featuring in 21 disciplines. Pakistan athletes are going to India in phases. They are scheduled to go two days before their respective competitions and return one day after the completion of their events. Many have already reached India.

Sharma thanked Pakistan for sending its contingent with big heart. “We are thankful to Pakistan for deciding to take part in the competitions,” the official said. “I tell you how we take care of Pakistanis. One of your officials’ blood pressure shot up and he was taken to the ICU of a very good hospital. And later we decided not to send him back but rather opted to treat him here,” Sharma said.