ASIAN GAMES: POA, PSB to finalise matters soon

KARACHI: In a bid to finalise various matters regarding Pakistan contingent’s participation in the Asian Games Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) are more likely to hold a meeting in Islamabad this week.

“We are going to meet POA very soon. There is more chance we meet them in few days. More likely this week (from Monday onwards),” a PSB official told ‘The News’ on Sunday.

The official feels that it is very important to sort out different things about Asian Games and a meeting is very necessary.

“We know the urgency of the situation. A meeting is important as we are to decide various things. The new Director General has recently taken charge of the board and he wants some time so that he could know the things and hopefully soon a meeting with the POA would be held,” the official said.

Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) senior joint secretary Arif Ibrahim has replaced Amir Ali Ahmed as PSB acting Director General the other day. Amir, a DMG officer, had been given additional charge of the PSB DG on the retirement of former DG PSB Dr Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera whose career ended last February.

Meanwhile, a POA official told this correspondent that the NOC had written to PSB and had been waiting for its response.

The PSB official also informed that Rs200 million would also be credited to the PSB accounts in a couple of days which would pave way for successful handling of the affairs of Pakistan’s preparation and participation in the Asian Games slated to be held in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to September 2.