IPC minister likely to visit NSTCC today

KARACHI: Federal minister for Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) Fehmida Mirza is expected to visit the National Sports Training and Coaching Center (NSTCC) on Friday (today), ‘The News’ has learnt.

It will be her first visit to the NSTCC after assuming charge of the IPC ministry. The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) owned NSTCC has been neglected for the past many years with the previous regimes failing to pay any attention to the center.

The PSB earns around Rs.5 million annually from the NSTCC through rent collected as different sports events are organised at the venue. But despite this, the PSB has failed to improve the infrastructure of the NSTCC.

The tartan track at NSTCC, for example, is nearly two decade old and needs to be replaced. Still, the PSB does not appear to be ready to spend from its budget on the track’s replacement.

The sports fraternity is now hoping that the minister’s visit will bring improvement in the situation at the NSTCC. According to sources, Fehmida will also be briefed about the multi-purpose boxing gymnasium and also the players’ hostel that could not be completed despite having nearly 90 percent of its construction work done years ago.