‘National Games secretariat to be set up this month’

KARACHI: The president of Sindh Olympic Association (SOA) president Ahmed Ali says that National Games secretariat at KMC’s sports complex is likely to be established by the end of this month.

While talking to The News on Thursday, he said that SOA officials, technical officials of various disciplines, and former players would gather in the secretariat to start the preparation for National Games, scheduled to be held in Karachi in January and February next year.

More than 7000 athletes are likely to participate in the 35th National Games. PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto will lead the torch relay at Mazar-e-Quaid. Some major decisions about National Games were taken at a meeting held last month when Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) president Abid Qadir Gillani, and General Secretary Khalid Mehmood visited Karachi. The meeting was chaired by provincial sports minister Sardar Muhammad Bux Mehar.

Sources said that right now the preparation of the National Games is a bit slow. When funds for the Games are released the preparation will gain speed, they said. The funds are likely to be released this month by Sindh government.

It has to be mentioned that this time a number of competitions, including those of athletics, will be organised at venues outside the PSB’s coaching centre. It was also decided in the meeting that POA would establish a committee to visit such venues.