Boxing forum demands international event in Islamabad

KARACHI: The participants of the Sindh’s boxing convention unanimously adopted a resolution, requesting the prime minister Imran Khan and IPC Minister Dr Fehmida Mirza to hold an international boxing tournament in Islamabad.

The premier was assured that 15 to 25 nations would be convinced to feature in this event which will boost the image of Pakistan.

In the convention held here at the PSB Coaching Centre on Tuesday Pakistan Peoples Party’s chairman Bilawal Bhutto, co-chairman Asif Ali Zardarai and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah were also requested to revive the Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto International Boxing tournament in the country and hold it in Karachi.

Ali Akbar Shah, head of the committee formed for holding the convention, assured PPP’s leadership that 15 to 25 nations will be brought for the Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto international event.

In 2010 its first edition was held in Karachi and in 2011 its second edition was conducted in Islamabad.

In the convention several resolutions regarding Sindh and federal government were adopted.

The convention was attended by former Olympians, international referees/judges, coaches and boxing stakeholders at various levels.

The participants also highlighted Pakistan’s boxing decline, adding a former top nation of South Asia was now at number 4 in the region.

They lamented that in 2010 two AIBA 3-star coaches in the shape of Arshad Hussain and Ali Bakhsh Baloch were produced and since then no other addition to this pool has been made as yet.