ISLAMABAD, March 28: The SAF Games that critics said would never take place claiming they were jinxed and under a bad spell are finally set to start officially on Monday for what will be Islamabad's finest hour.
When the first athletes march in at the Jinnah Stadium and the Islamabad skies are lit up in a myriad of colours, the organizers of this 9th edition of the regional event would heave a sigh of relief.
Months of hard work, disrupted by three postponements in three years, had brought disappointment and frustration to the event organizers. But those moments of distress are now behind them and the mood today is that of excitement with a great start to the 10-day Games being anticipated.
"I am elated and really looking forward to the Games to begin," says Lt Gen Syed Arif Hasan, who heads the organizing committee. As Islamabad prepares to extend a warm welcome to our neighbourhood, the the participating nations - India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan and Afghanistan - the Games provide a perfect stage for fostering friendship and peace among the South Asian countries.
There are smiles all around, people are working in a friendly atmosphere and this event is a big opportunity to make friends and bring peace and harmony to the region, says Arif.
The theme should be depicted well in the opening ceremonies that have been kept a closely guarded secret by the organizers in order to protect the element of surprise.
About 8000 people including school children will be involved in the ceremonies as Islamabad showcases its talents to the world. The organizers have made immaculate preparations and everything, small and big, has been taken care of for the Games that will see over 1100 athletes compete in 15 sports including athletics, the showpiece event where on show will be Asia's fastest woman, S. Jayasinghe of Sri Lanka.
While athletes get down to work on the tracks, courts and fields of the sprawling Pakistan Sports Complex from Tuesday, there will be whole lot of security personnel shadowing them.
Security is a far bigger aspect than it was when Islamabad last hosted the SAF Games in 1989. About 3000 Rangers and Police have been deployed as part of an extensive security plan while anti-aircraft guns have been put up at certain points including the lush green Margalla Hills in the backdrop of Islamabad to guard against any aerial threat.
These are the Games in the post 9/11 era where close circuit surveillance cameras, sniffer dogs, plainclothes policemen, gun-toting commandos and bomb disposal squads form part of any big event.
Detailed and thorough security is in place and we have taken all possible precautions, Arif said. "You may find it tight but please bear with us because this is all for your own safety."
All the venues are being closely guarded and with the arrival of the Indian contingent on Sunday, security was tightened even further as the party was transferred to their hotel escorted by police vehicles with sirens wailing.
Interestingly as the organizers seek to send out a message of peace through the Games, it was because of wars that three postponements had to come about. First, because of the US-led invasion of Afghanistan following 9/11, second when Pakistani and Indian troops sat eyeball-to-eyeball over Kashmir before pulling back from the brink and third, when the Americans attacked Iraq last year.
But now that Islamabad's big day is finally here, there cannot be a fourth postponement, God forbid. The clock is ticking away as everyone awaits the start with bated breath. Let the party begin.
