Mahar elected Sindh Olympic Association president

KARACHI: Sindh Sports Minister Mohammad Bux Khan Mahar was on Wednesday elected as president of Sindh Olympic Association (SOA).

Mahar, born on December 17, 1987, in Ghotki, is the youngest ever president of the SOA which has a long history. Mahar replaced late Brigadier Rashid Malik, who passed away last summer of cardiac failure.

SOA had last held its elections in January 2016. In the absence of the president, SOA chairman Haji Muzaffar Ali Shujra was running the affairs of the body. Mahar was elected at the SOA Executive Committee meeting and its approval was taken from the general council here at the Karachi Gymkhana on Wednesday.

Mahar said on the occasion he would make every effort to promote sports in Sindh.“I am very thankful to you for giving me the opportunity to lead SOA. We can improve sports of the province if you cooperate in the process,” Mahar said.

He said that all events in future would be conducted collectively.He said that no stone would be left unturned to make SOA a strong organisation.Mahar announced Rs1 million for the SOA.

Pakistan Olympic Association’s (POA) secretary Khalid Mehmood, who was present in the meetings, congratulated SOA on making a young man its chief. “Sindh has got young blood in its leadership. Come forward and make the province a strong sporting unit,” Khalid said.

Because of lack of coordination between the SOA and Sindh government during the last few years, sports development in the province suffered badly.Mahar’s election as SOA chief is considered by some as a step in the right direction.

“Such a development should have occurred earlier,” an official of a sports association told ‘The News’. “Mahar is young and seems enthusiastic. He does not have much knowledge of sports but he thinks he can play a major role,” the official said.

The SOA Executive Committee also discussed the decision of Pakistan Basketball Federation to declare Sindh Basketball Association defunct as the body failed to hold its elections in time. It last held its elections in 2012. As per the constitution, an association is formed for four years.

It was also decided in the meeting that the SOA vice-president Sana Ali would serve as the chairman of the interim committee which is to look after the day-to-day affairs of basketball in the province.

An SOA official said that the members of the committee would be named soon. The committee would also handle the selection and participation of Sindh’s basketball team in the Fourth Inter-Provincial Games slated to be held in Peshawar from March 18-20.

The Executive Committee also discussed Inter-Provincial Games, Sindh Games and National Games.Sindh Games will be held in Karachi from March 28-31 and National Games from April 21-29 in Quetta.