Govt officials drive vehicles on new tartan track

KARACHI: Athletics fraternity was shocked when they saw that high officials of Sindh government drove their vehicles on the newly laid tartan track in Hyderabad, which is yet to be inaugurated, ‘The News’ has learnt.

Informed sources said that some high officials visited the public school where the tartan track has been. The people there attempted to stop, but the high officials and police vehicles ran over the track.

Athletes and officials recorded the incident on their mobile phone cameras and shared it on social media. They will send it to Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), IPC minister Fahmeeda Mirza, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Pakistan Athletic Federation (PAF) and Sindh Olympic Association (SOA).

They told ‘The News’ that the authorities must take notice of this behaviour of high officials. It may be noted that when the athletics organisation contacted authorities concerned to organise an inter-collegiate athletic championship, they did not allow them to organise the event.

The blue track, which is yet to be inaugurated, is the first in interior of Sindh and currently the only one in the entire province. The one at PSB’s centre in Karachi has completed its life as was laid more than 20 years ago. Because of this national athletics championship has not been organised in the province for years.

A group of athletes said that the high officials of Sindh government should know that the track is meant for the use of athletes, not for driving vehicles. They said that athletics federation must talk to the officials concerned so that such acts are not repeated.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that Sindh government would inaugurate the track in Hyderabad soon. The track surrounds a football turf where national level football events can also be held as there is the facility of pavilion, washrooms and seating arrangements for more than 3000 spectators, a source said.