May 19, 2006	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 20, 1427

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LAHORE, May 18: Seventeen teams, including six clubs will feature in the second National Junior Football Championship which is being revived after 15 years.

The event will be held at different grounds in Lahore from May 25 to June 6.

Hafiz Salman Butt, president of the Wohaib Club, which is the host of the event said at a press conference that there was no club when the first edition was held 15 years ago in Faisalabad. But the entry of six clubs in the second edition was an encouraging sign.

Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Technical Director Mujahid Ullah Khan Tareen was also present on the occasion.

Holders Pakistan Army, along with six clubs Lahore's Wohaib Club and City Club, Dera Ismail Khan's Dera XI, Mardan's Mardan Club, Karachi's Mauripur Baloch and Chaman's Afghan Club confirmed their participation.

Others participating teams are Gwadar Port Authority, Pakistan Railways, Pakistan Navy, Wah's Pakistan Ordnance Factory, Northern Areas, Islamabad besides four provinces Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP.

Salman, former PFF secretary general from 1991-94, said that four grounds would be used to hold the matches. Punjab Stadium, Railways Stadium. Iqbal Park Sports Complex and Chauburji's University Ground Old Campus are the venues, he said.

Salman said that Wohaib Club would create history by staging the national event.

He said that all the arrangements had been completed to organise the event successfully and most of the participating teams fulfilled the demands of registrations.

"Players born on or after Jan 1, 1985 will be eligible to play and to check the correct age

X-ray Test will be conducted of every player", Salman declared.

He said that the PFF took a positive step by reviving the Under-21 championship.

Mujahid said that the Wohaib Club gave a quick reply in accepting the request of the PFF to organise the event.

He said that the main purpose to revive the event was to spot talented players from far flung areas.

City Nazim Mian Amir Mehmood has been named as chairman organising committee and named Tanvir Zia Butt and Mohammad Riaz as chief organiser and organising secretary, respectively.