No work at PSB coaching centre even after funds allocation

KARACHI: The development work at PSB’s training and coaching Centre in Karachi has not been started although more than Rs40 million was allocated for it June.

The PSB authorities in Islamabad used to cite lack of funds for their failure to complete the multipurpose sports complex inside the centre, but the work has not begun even after the allocation of a huge amount.

When this scribe visited the site, he saw that only a layer of bitumen had been added to the floor of the gymnasium. The sources in the PSB said when federal minister for IPC Fahmeeda Mirza assumed the charge, she took notice of the delay in completion of the project and directed the officials concerned to complete it as soon as possible.

Sources said she also visited the centre to see the condition of the project and was briefed about the project. A team of the PSB officials also visited the site and informed its management that PSB administration had finally decided to complete the project. But so far no substantial development work has been seen.

The governments of PPP and PML-N failed to complete the project. The project was started when General Pervaiz Musharraf was in power. He had directed building the boxing gymnasium on the request of former boxing chief Prof Anwer Chaudhary.

Local sports officials while talking to ‘The News’ said they were surprised that nothing was being done even after the directives of the IPC minister and the allocation of funds.

The gymnasium will have facilities for other sports such as badminton, table tennis, bodybuilding and weightlifting. It has capacity for 2000 spectators. When completed, it will be able to host competitions of various sports at a time.

Sportspeople have appealed to PTI government to take notice of the delay and issue orders for its completion. The project is more than 90 percent complete. Only finishing work is required to start the sports activities.