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Tuesday March 19, 2024

National Games

February 16, 2019

POA chiefs to meet Balochistan CM before final decision

By Alam Zeb Safi

KARACHI: The non-serious attitude of the Balochistan government towards the 33rd National Games seems to have forced Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) to take final input from the province’s chief minister for deciding its fate.

A senior official of the POA told ‘The News’ on Friday that they would contact Balochistan chief minister Jam Kamal Khan in the next few days. “Keeping in view the situation we have decided to contact the Balochistan chief minister for final input. If they are not ready then we will shift it to any other province,” the official said.

“Both Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have ample budget and they will face no issue in organising the spectacle,” the official said.

The POA also intends to hold its meeting in the next few days to discuss the matter. “First of all we will hold a general meeting and then in the first week of March we will hold general council to discuss the issue and take a decision,” the official said.

“Every time Balochistan’s sports secretary comes and tells us that the venues and other matters regarding the Games are ready but on ground nothing concrete is found,” the official said.

The official also disclosed that despite so many issues the POA tried its best to support Balochistan for hosting the Games due to provincial and national interests.

Last month, too, Balochistan sports secretary had claimed in the POA general council meeting in Lahore that the venues were ready. He had said that after negotiating monetary issues with the provincial government the POA would be invited for the inspection of the venues.

Soon afterwards, Director General of Balochistan Sports Board (BSB) was transferred. Then the secretary was also transferred.

So far both these posts are vacant. According to sources, heavy monetary issues had been dealt with by the sports wing of the province during the last few years regarding preparation for the National Games so no one is interested to fill these seats due to fear of accountability in future.This correspondent has learnt that more than two months would be required for quality preparations.

“So far we don’t even know about the strength of the participants. It will take at least two and a half months to prepare for the competitions. Several matters are yet to be settled. Nothing is being done by the sports department because of the transfer of the key officials,” a key organiser of the event said.

The Games have been postponed repeatedly due to security and financial issues.But the sources said that now there was no funding issue and it was the matter of utilising the funds that has created issues.

The last National Games were held in Lahore in 2012. This time the event is scheduled in April this year. However, if the Games could not be held in April it would be difficult to organise it this year as Ramadan-ul-Mubarak will begin in May, which will be followed by summer.

Around Rs1000 million has been allocated for the Games by the Balochistan government. A tartan-track is also being installed at the Ayub Stadium, a major centre of the Games. But if the Games are held as per schedule in April then the same athletic facility could not be used as it is not possible to lay the track before the competitions. The work is yet to be started on the track.