Islamabad : The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) hosted a reception in honour of winner of Islamabad Football Association (IFA) soccer team that had won the Gothia Cup China Under-18 Football Tournament 2017 after defeating hot favourites Zhaoqing Lixun FC, China in the final played at Shanyang, China last year.
IFA President Saleem Chaudhry, Secretary Syed Sharafat Hussain Bukhari, Team Manager Syed Tanveer, coach Muhammad Zaman, Team Captain Abdullah Shah, team players, Secretary Information of Pakistan Football Federation Rana Tanveer and others were also present at the occasion.
Speaking at the occasion, Sheikh Amir Waheed, President, ICCI congratulated IFA soccer team for winning Gothia Cup which showed that Pakistan has great talent of football. He said government should declare football as an industry for its better development. He emphasized that CDA should develop more football grounds in Islamabad to facilitate its better growth.
Muhammad Naveed Senior Vice President ICCI thanked IFA soccer team for visiting ICCI. He said those nations achieve better development that focused on promoting sports in youth. He assured that ICCI Sports Committee will cooperate with IFA in promoting football in the region.
Saleem Chaudhry, IFA president said that IFA soccer team went China on self-finance basis as no one had sponsored it. He urged that corporate and private sectors should patronise sports activities in the country including football. He said FIFA had put ban on Pakistan Football Federation for the last 3 years due to which our football players could not go abroad. He said 50 football clubs were registered with IFA while 10 academies were working under its patronage to promote football talent in the region. He said about 5,000 football players were playing in Islamabad current.