ISLAMABAD, Sept 9: The 9th SAF Games will be held in the Pakistan capital tentatively from March 27 to April 5, 2004.

“These are appromximate dates”, stated the Minister of State for Sports, Rais Munir Ahmed, at an informal chat with newspersons after distributing prizes at the 7th Hashim Khan National Junior Squash Championship at Roshan Khan Squash Complex on Monday.

He expressed his confidence that all the member countries of South Asian Sports Federation (SASF) would compete in the 9th edition of the Games, thrice postponed and then cancelled from the Pakistan capital due to several reasons.

A SASF meeting in Lahore on Sept 18 would decide on the new dates or whether to re-allot the 9th edition to Pakistan, in the backdrop of strong indications in recent weeks that this country would regain the hosting rights.

“We want that sports should be run properly and if that purpose is served then well and good”, said the Minister.

Similarly, he said, every effort would be made to implement the sports policy. Under the relevant provisions of this policy, no office-bearer can run for a third consecutive four-year term for any of the top three posts.

“The head of the state has asked us to implement the sports policy and no stone would be left unturned in this behalf”, he said. “All sports federations, save a few, are implementing or in the process of implementing the same while the remaining few would also follow suite”.

He said necessary funds would also be released for the betterment of squash in the country.—APP