POA executive committee meeting tomorrow

KARACHI: The Pakistan Olympic Association’s (POA) Executive Committee will hold an important meeting in Lahore on Thursday (tomorrow) to make final decisions regarding the 35th National Games, scheduled for May in Karachi.

A four-member POA venue inspection committee, led by Deputy Secretary General Muhammad Jahangir, visited Karachi last week to review all 28 proposed venues. It visited the Peoples Sports Complex in Lyari, NED Sports Complex, Naya Nazimabad Sports Complex, the new tartan track at Karsaz (Pakistan Navy), Kakri Sports Ground in Lyari, the National Coaching Centre, and KPT Sports Complex.

Other members of the committee are Sher Muhammad Malik (WAPDA), Major Irfan Younis (Army), and Sher Muhammad Tareen (Secretary General, Baluchistan Olympic Association). The committee will present its report and recommendations at the meeting.

This meeting is crucial as Ramadan is about to begin, leaving limited time in March for POA, SOA, and other associations to finalise preparations, including committee nominations and confirmation of competition venues.

It is worth noting that the National Games have already been delayed twice due to a delay in the release of funds by the Sindh government. SOA Secretary General Ahmed Ali Rajput visited the KMC Sports Complex and met with KMC sports department officers to discuss plans for establishing the National Games secretariat.