June 27, 2002	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 15, 1423

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LAHORE, June 26: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has failed to acquire a piece of land to start the Goal Project for which the game’s governing body FIFA had sanctioned an amount of US$4,00,000 for Pakistan.

Under the project, an academy with the facility of hostel and new football grounds are to be provided to promote the game at grass root level. The PFF has been trying to get a plot in Lahore near the under construction Punjab Stadium for the last six months but with no success.

The PFF secretary Agha Liaqat Ali told Dawn Wednesday that the president of the federation Mian Mohammad Azhar was dealing with the Punjab government to get a piece of land. Liaqat said that he did not know the reason for the delay in the allotment of the plot.

He said that the sports ministry and the Pakistan Sports Board had given full assurance to the PFF for a plot when the FIFA appointed incharge of the Goal Project Manilal Fernando met them at Islamabad last year.

The PFF secretary said that the work on the Goal Project, according to the FIFA’s instruction, was to be started in 2002, but without the land it was not possible.

He said that Manilal was due to arrive at Karachi on July 19 to discuss the possibility if the Goal Project would start in near future.

The PFF secretary said that the national training camp to prepare Pakistan team for the Asian Games would be held at Islamabad from July 1.