POA general council meeting on 27th

KARACHI: Pakistan Olympic Association’s (POA) general councilwillmeet at Lahore on July 27 to discuss important sports matters, including the National Games which are to be held at Quetta later this year. The participants will also discuss the country’s participation in international competitions. Other matters can be included with the permission of the POA chief Lt Gen (retd) Arif Hasan who will chair the meeting. This will be the first formal general body meeting after the POA’s elections held on January 23, 2016. A source in the POA told this correspondent that the general body would give final approval of the disciplines of the National Games and the number of the athletes so that all the units could begin preparation for the country’s premier domestic competitions. The source further said that the POA’s sports commission wouldmeet on July 26 at Lahore and finalisemajor things and put themup before the general body for formal approval. The sports commission of the POA is headed by former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa sports minister and the senior vice-president of the POA Syed Aqil Shah. The commission was constituted after the POA elections andwas notified on June 30. The POA secretary Khalid Mehmood is the secretary of the commission. The commission is to formulate proposals and recommendations for National Games and Inter-Provincial Games. The National Games will be held in Quetta fromNovember 5- 12. Balochistan Olympic Association (BOA), which will hold the National Games, held its elections the other day. Afzal Awan was elected as its president and Prince Agha Musa Jan as chairman. Sher Mohammad Tareen was elected as secretary. Balochistan government has earmarked Rs150 million for the competitions. Amember of the sports commission told this correspondent that the proposed National Beach Games would also come under discussion in the meeting. “Itwill be put up before the commission as it is a national event and its formal approval is necessary,” the source said. The POA has allotted the National Beach Games to Sindh, which is expected to hold it in August and September. The Sindh government has agreed to provide Rs20 million for the event.