Swat admin says cricket match for girls soon

MINGORA: The Swat district administration on Monday said it would soon organise a cricket match for girl players as the one supposed to be held on Sunday was postponed due to security reasons.

“The match organisers neither consulted the administration nor they approached us to ask for the security and permission. As the Charbagh area is sensitive in terms of security, we advised the organisers to postpone the match,” said Charbagh Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Yar.

The official promised that sports activities would be arranged with full preparation for female players within a week. He insisted that locals approached his office to stop the match for the time being as no security measures had been taken.

It may be mentioned that a young athlete Ayesha Ayaz and her father Ayaz Naik took the initiative to arrange a cricket match for the college girls of Kabal and Saidu Sharif. However, before a formal start of the game, the local residents, including religious leaders, barred the girl players from playing at the Charbagh Cricket Stadium.

“As sports activities are going on in Malam Jabba in Swat district, we thought it would be a routine activity. We took permission from the ground administration and Police Department. However, before the start of the match, local clerics threatened us to leave the ground,” said Ayaz Naik, organiser of the match. He added that their mission was to promote sports activities among the talented girls from the area.

Talking to this scribe, a local cleric named Mufti Rafiullah said that they were not against sports activities of the girls, explaining such events should be organised within the limits of a building or covered walls in accordance with the traditions of the area.

“There are security threats in the area. The girls could be vulnerable to threats if they are allowed to play in the open ground,” he said and added that every girl should be allowed to take part in sports as per the Constitution and Islamic norms.

“The people of Charbagh welcome sports activities, which are taking place in various places, including Charbagh town and Malam Jabba. It would be in the best interest of the girls that they play these games without the men’s intervention,” said Ihsanullah, the chairman of Charbagh Tehsil Council.