PPL Balochistan Football Cup from July 26

KARACHI: Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) Balochistan Football Cup 2016 will be held from July 26 to August 12 at various venues of the province, chairman organising committee Sardar Naved Haider told ‘The News’ on Sunday.

A hefty budget of Rs12 million will be spent on the event which is the first major competition in terms of finances and teams’ strength in Balochistan which has been massively contributing in football development.

The 32 outfits of all District Football Associations (DFAs) of the province will begin their title quest at the six divisional headquarters from July 26. The phase will last till July 30.

One team each from Makran, Zhob, Sibbi and Naseerabad divisions and two outfits each from Quetta and Kalat divisions will qualify for the quarter-finals.

The final phase will be held at the Ayub Stadium, Quetta, from August 7-12.

Teams from Quetta, Pishin, Chaman, Chagi and Nushki will compete in the Quetta division slots in the first phase at the Football Ground Nushki.

In the Kalat division round, Lasbela, Awaran, Kharan, Washuk, Mastung, Khuzdar and Kalat will compete at the Ghous Bux Bazing Stadium, Khuzdar.

In the Makran division leg, Turbat, Pasni, Gawadar and Panjgur will show their worth at Baba Bazinjo Ground, Gwadar.

In the Sibbi division slots which will be held at the Ziarat Football Ground, teams from Dera Bugti, Sibbi, Kohlu, Harnai and Ziarat will participate.

The Zhob division competitions will be contested among Lora Lai, Barkhan, Zhob, Musa Khel, Sherani and Qilla Saifullah at the Nawab Timoor Shah Joegezai Football Stadium, Qilla Saifullah.

The Naseerabad division round will be held at the College Football Ground Ustad Mohammad among Naseerabad, Jhal Magsi, Jaffarabad, Sohbatpur and Kachhi (Bolan).

All players will be given free kits, shoes, board and lodging facilities during the competition.

The winners will get Rs500,000 and the runners-up will go away with Rs350,000.

The teams losing at the Inter-District phase will receive Rs40,000 each.

The winners of each division will get Rs120,000 each.

The losing quarter-finalists will get richer by Rs150,000 each and the losing semi-finalists will grab Rs250,000 each.

“We will invite all those players of Balochistan who have represented Pakistan. They will be honoured with shields and cash prizes,” Naved Haider said. “The divisional rounds will be supervised by local referees and the final round will be conducted by FIFA-approved referees,” Naved said.

“It’s a major initiative. The credit goes to PPL Managing Director Syed Wamiq Bokhari who I met a couple of times in Karachi before deciding to go for the event which will involve the cream of Balochistan,” Naved said.

“We will invite to the final round officials of departments so that they could witness matches and pick talented players for their organisations,” Naved said.

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Essa is the brand ambassador of the event, being organised at a time when there has been no football activity at the central level for more than a year because of the legal battle between the two groups of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF).

“It is the first time that such a major event has been planned on professional footing. The players and teams are being given good incentives and it will be a treat to watch,” Essa told this correspondent.

Balochistan Football Association’s (BFA) president Rauf Notezai is the chairman of the local organising committee (LOC). BFA’s secretary Haji Saeed is the LOC secretary.