March 8, 2006	Wednesday	Safar 7, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, March 7: Although the pace of work on the Liaquat Bagh Squash Complex in Rawalpindi, rendered useless by floods in 2001, seems slow the venue could still spring to life this summer.

A July deadline for the renovation and upgradation of the project may not appear realistic yet officials insist it will be ready in time.

“This is technically a difficult project but I think it should be up by the deadlines we have set,” says Zulfiqar Ahmad secretary of the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF).

The five courts at the complex on the banks of Nullah Leh, were left simply unplayable when floods played havoc in Rawalpindi. It brought all activity to a grinding halt and in the months that followed players suffered.

Work on the complex could not begin because the district administration which owns the land appeared in no hurry and red- tapism led to valuable years being lost.

Despite the efforts of the Punjab Squash Association (PSA) and the PSF, the Rawalpindi administration just did not seem to realise how important the courts were for the local players.

A city that produced a string of big names among them the Gul brothers, suddenly seemed thirsty as players were left at the mercy of the powers that be.

“For some five years now there is no Rawalpindi player on the scene,” says Zulfiqar who however sees the complex buzzing with activity soon, just as it used to before the floods came.

It required a big push from the Corps Commander Rawalpindi, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and the PSF to finally get the project going after talks with the District Nazim and the District Coordination Officer.

A sum of Rs 10 million is being spent on the renovation of the five existing courts with a championship court having a seating capacity for 200 spectators, being added.

“Still we will be needing another Rs 1 million on top of the actual amount,” Zulfiqar said.

The PSF has already procured equipment worth Rs 5 million from a separate account that includes back glass walls and flooring for all the six courts and a few front walls.

The earth-breaking ceremony of the project was done by the Senior Vice President of PSF, Air Marshal Raashid Kalim in July last year and work began in earnest in August, much to the relief of the players.

With the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Zonal Squash Association to have the administrative control of the complex, the project has already run into quite a few snags.

First, the local EDO ordered that the work be stopped on the project barely a month after the earth-breaking was performed. Although it is not clear why he had acted in a manner he did, his action caused embarrassment to the PSF.

Fortunately the matter was sorted out but then came October and the deadly earthquake. In the aftermath, several structural changes had to be made so that the facility, once ready, could withstand a major earthquake.

However, things now appear on track somewhat, yet doubts remain over the complex’s timely completion. There were only a couple of workers at the site, moving at a snail’s pace on Monday.

While the speed of work is seemingly slow yet the players are happy that the project is gradually coming up.

One can at least make out now what the championship court is going to look like when it is completed.

With each brick that goes into the construction of the complex, players’ hopes are raised and they are now eagerly looking forward to picking up their rackets again.