One year before the start of the Games, around 70 percent of work should have been completed. It’s not a joke. I don’t know why the state is sleeping. It is related to the prestige of the country. The IPC ministry should take the matter seriously. During a meeting with the POA officials on the matter, the IPC minister indicated that the ministry is going to put up a summary to the Prime Minister and after taking the PM’s formal nod preparation will be started. But so far nothing concrete has emerged.

The POA also told the IPC minister Dr Fehmida Mirza that it wants to stage these Games in multiple cities of Punjab. It is not yet known whether the IPC will approve that. These days the IPC minister is controlling all the sports affairs. Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has been without a full-time Director General since the retirement of Dr Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera a couple of years back. This is a big hurdle. The PSB needs a full-time and highly skilled DG with extensive administrative and financial powers. The ministry should expedite the DG recruitment process. Currently it seems that the IPC minister is taking too much time in taking decisions. And that can have serious consequences. A lot of time is being wasted.

If Pakistan fails to make any progress towards hosting the South Asian Games then the Games may be shifted to Sri Lanka which is quite eager for the task. And if that happens then Pakistan will not be able to get the rights back soon as Bangladesh is also interested.

We have already hosted these Games twice in Islamabad and now the spectacle should be organised in those cities of Punjab where crowd comes to witness their stars. Some events should also be given to Peshawar which has developed good infrastructure.

In Islamabad, the Games can be organised with peace but crowds do not come there and this is a big issue. We must consider the option of staging the Games in Punjab. And work should be started on the project immediately. We need to upgrade infrastructure. We will have to build new facilities. Sialkot, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Lahore are good options.

The football event can also be organised in Karachi which has a massive following. In 2005, SAFF Championship was held here and everybody saw the love of the people of Karachi for the game of football.

I have come to know that the South Asian Olympic Council is weighing Pakistan’s preparation for the Games seriously. If the government keeps taking it lightly, the Games can be shifted from Pakistan.

In my opinion, we have lost a lot of time and must take a decision before it is too late.

This is a big opportunity for the country to show to the region its strengths. The Games can promote tourism also.

Moreover, the Covid situation is also turning alarming. It seems that we will have to live with this pandemic for years, so we will have to make preparations about that too. Covid-19 should not affect sports events. The entire world is trying to organise big events despite Covid-19 spike. We have to fight against it and plan accordingly.

From 2022 to 2024 we will not get any window for the SAG due to international commitments. We should try our best to ensure holding the Games before the end of 2021.

For the last couple of years our players have been facing big issues. Their growth has stopped due to no proper support from the state. I would urge the IPC ministry to see what it has done during the tenure of the PTI government for sports promotion. Being a reporter I know that no federation can plan for sports development these days as they have nothing in their kitty. They don’t have state support. Corporate sector is not interested in investing in Olympic sports. Our sports authorities should put their heads together and find a way forward for protecting this industry from utter destruction.

Our athletes who have qualified for the Olympics or are trying to qualify are not being supported. Setting aside the fear of Covid-19 we should focus on preparing our athletes for the Olympics before it is too late.

The PSB is the sole financier of sports and it should play its role. If it cannot play its role then it should be abolished. Why are we wasting time?

73.alam@gmail.com