Punjab govt planning football league

LAHORE: Youth Affairs and Sports Department Punjab and Sports Board Punjab (SBP) organised football and male and female hockey events on the eve of Independence Day here.

Secretary Youth Affairs and Sports Punjab Fuad Hashim Rabbani and Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh were the guests of honour on this occasion. They distributed prizes among the top performers at both the events.

Talking to media, Rabbani said they were planning a football league of top clubs. "We have sufficient budget for sports activities. We are coordinating with HEC, and school and college authorities to finalise details of our sports events," he added.

Adnan Arshad said the Punjab government was going to organise Punjab’s Fastest Man and Javelin Throw competitions.

In the football match, Pilot Quaid XI defeated Fame Iqbal XI Punjab Stadium. Both the teams failed to score any goal in the stipulated time and then both the sides were given 5 kicks each to decide the title match but both teams converted four kicks each. Then the match was decided through a sudden death goal contest in which Pilot Quaid XI’s Ahmed struck the decisive goal.

In the Independence Day men’s hockey match, Quaid XI edged out Liaqat XI by 4-3 in penalty shootout at the National Hockey Stadium. Both the teams failed to score any goal in the allotted time. Abdur Rehaman was awarded the Man of the Match award.

In the women’s match, Fatima Jinnah XI defeated Begum Rana Liaqat XI by 3-0.

The winning teams were awarded Rs15,000 cash prize and trophies while the runners up pocketed Rs10,000 and trophies.