Bids called for completing boxing gymnasium at PSB center

KARACHI: Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has called bids for the completion of the boxing gymnasium at Pakistan Sports Board's (PSB) coaching centre in Karachi.

September 1 is the last date of bidding, as PTI-led federal government wants the completion of the project as soon as possible, 'The News' learnt on Monday. The development work at the boxing gymnasium had been lingering for years. After the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country it stopped completely.

More than 90 percent work of the project is done. It only requires installation of electric equipment and water pipelines. It may be noted here that the project was started during the tenure of General Pervaiz Musharraf. The project was not completed by the governments of PPP and PML-N. The PTI government has also failed to make much progress in its first three years.

The PSB DG Col Asif Zaman visited the centre last month and viewed its overall condition, sources said. The sources said that it seems that this time PSB is serious in the completion of the delayed projects, especially the boxing gymnasium, which is a multipurpose indoor gymnasium. They said it was expected that by the end of this year the boxing gymnasium would be completed and opened.

There is seating arrangements for 2500 spectators and all indoor games facilities are available. The federal minister FOR IPC Dr Fahmida Mirza has taken serious notice of the delay in the projects at the centre and is herself monitoring the progress, sources said.

Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, a prominent businessman who is a member of the federal government-appointed PSB executive committee, has paid multiple visits to the coaching centre, but nothing concrete has been done so far. Informed sources said that Dr Fahmida wants the project to be completed in her tenure as IPC minister.

The athletics fraternity has appealed to the federal minister that at least the 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 project was not being completed.