PSB centre sports projects delayed

KARACHI: Various sports projects at the PSB owned National Coaching Centre planned by the federal govrenment have not been started yet, The News has learnt.

The projects were conceived by the federal government-appointed PSB executive committee.

Prominent businessmen Aqeel Karim Dhedhi was appointed as a member in PSB executive committee in June 2020 to work for the promotion of sporting activities and develop sports projects and sports facilities of National Coaching Centre.

Dhedhi vowed at a press conference last year that various sports projects would be developed through the help of private sector and the multipurpose sports complex, which is already more than 90 percent complete, would also be finished as soon as possible.

But neither any sports project has been launched nor the multipurpose sports gymnasium has been completed.

However, he has got the broken front wall of National Coaching Centre re-erected, which was demolished due to the heavy rains and storm water accumulation.

Informed sources said that an aerial survey was conducted through drones in the mapping of National Coaching Center. It was decided that grass and bushes cutting would be done and a swimming pool, lawn tennis courts and cricket practice pitches would be developed, sources said.

But only wild bushes have been removed from the open field and cleaning of wooden floor of inddor gymnasium has been conducted so far, sources mentioned.

The coaching centre is without its director as its acting director Rafque Pirzada retired last month.

Informed sources said that Covid-19 was also a reason why the sports projects were delayed.

Dhedhi has said that facilities for 19 Olympic sports would be built at the centre.

The athletics fraternity has appealed to the PCB executive committee that at least sports gymnasium be completed and opened for sports activities.

They said that that South Asian Games events were being organised in Punjab, but in Karachi more than a decade-old sports project is not being completed. Dhedhi was not available for comment when contacted.