29 January 2004	Thursday	06 Zilhaj 1424

ISLAMABAD, Jan 28: An Indian delegation is to arrive in Lahore on Thursday for the 31st South Asian Sports Federation (SASF) executive committee meeting being held in Rawalpindi on Saturday, organizers said.

After their arrival through Wagha border, the delegation to be led by Suresh Kalmadi, who heads the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will then fly to Islamabad.

Organizers said that the Indian delegation will comprise seven members including Raja Randhir Singh, secretary general of IOA and also the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

Other members of the party are VK Malhotra, Janardan Singh, Muhammad Aslam Khan (vice presidents IOA), RK Anand (associate vice president IOA) and KS Sidhu (secretary Punjab Olympic Association and representative of IOA).

DK Chhetri, secretary general of Bhutan's National Olympic Committee is also due to arrive here on Thursday while delegates from Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Maldives are expected to reach Islamabad on Friday.

The inaugural session of the meeting is to be chaired by sports minister Rais Munir Ahmed while Syed Shahid Ali, acting president of the SASF and Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) will chair the formal session in place of Syed Wajid Ali who is said to be unwell.

The meeting besides reviewing arrangements for the March 29- April 7 Games in Islamabad will also decide on approving linking the name of sponsors with the title of SAF Games by making the required amendments to the SASF constitution. Organizers said that the meeting could continue through to Feb 1 to dispose of any remaining matter.