Basketball deserves full attention from all quarters: Asif Bajwa

LAHORE: The game of basketball is quite popular among young generation and our country has plenty of potential in this sport. We just need to groom our players properly and give them international level facilities and training. Basketball also needs proper patronisation from govt; this was stated by Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBBF) President Asif Bajwa while talking to this scribe at Cosmopolitan Club, Bagh-i-Jinnah on Friday.

PBBF Vice-President Lt-Col (retd) Naseem Butt, General Secretary Abdul Jawwad, Chairman Lahore District Basketball Association Kh Abdur Rehman, Secretary Referee Board Imtiazul Hasan and Secretary Referee Board Punjab Muhammad Akram were also present on this occasion.

Asif Bajwa said the focus of Pakistan authorities, sponsors and public is on cricket and that’s why all other games including basketball are suffering hugely. “Pakistan govt and sponsors should give equal significance to other games. Govt should also allocate equal amount of funds to all major games and it’s the only way to get a respectable place in world sports community”.

When asked about which measures should be taken for the proper growth of basketball in Pakistan, Asif Bajwa said: “This game deserves full attention from govt, private and all quarters. Govt should also extend full support to this game and if it happens then nobody can halt the growth of this game in Pakistan”. He further said that basketball is a game of general public and all leading departments must formulate their teams so that maximum number of talented players can feature in this exciting game,” he opined.

Replying a question regarding persisting parallelism, Asif Bajwa said the growing trend of parallel sports bodies has caused irreparable loss to Pakistan sports. “It is highly deleterious for the sports future of the country. It’s a painful fact that the on-going fight among various sports bodies has deprived Pakistan athletes of representing the country in several key international events”.

Elaborating his point, Bajwa said that the athletes of other countries are winning laurels in different events for their motherlands but in Pakistan the situation is altogether different. “Due to highly damaging trend of parallel bodies, our athletes have been forced to sit at home since long. The highly destructive trend of parallelism has literally put Pakistan’s talented players and country’s respect and repute at stake world-wide,” he asserted.

“Several of our sports bodies have been forced to spend their invaluable time and money in courts instead of focusing on titles and medals. Sadly, no individual or institution in Pakistan has so far taken any serious measure to halt or eliminate this destructive practice. Frankly, all the rival factions, until now, have spent all of their time in mere statements, counter allegations or taking stay orders from different courts”.

Responding to a question about prevailing sports scenario in the country, Asif Bajwa was of the view that the prevailing sports scenario cannot be termed as encouraging in any way. “The down sliding trend in Pakistan’s leading games hockey, squash, football etc is enough to gauge that merit does not exist anywhere whether it’s appointments of office-bearers or selection of players at any level. Only the full-fledged implementation of merit-base National Sports Policy can revive the fortunes of Pakistan sports,” he stressed.