February 02, 2007	Friday	Muharram 13, 1428

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LAHORE, Feb 1: Singapore has expressed security concerns over arrangements of the 29th Olympics Games football qualifier which they play against Pakistan in Peshawar on Feb 14.

Sources told Dawn that Singapore officials had written to the FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), on Thursday, informing them about their apprehension on security matters.

It has been reliably learnt that after receiving information about Singapore's reservation, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), also wrote a letter to the FIFA and the AFC, saying it was unable to host the match in Peshawar, owing to some construction work still going on at the Qayyum Stadium, Peshawar. However, the PFF has requested the FIFA and the AFC to allow it to shift the venue from Peshawar to Lahore.

According to sources, it is quite possible that FIFA could ask the PFF to let Pakistan play their home tie also in Singapore, where the away tie is to be played on Wednesday. A spate of suicide bombings in the NWFP province recently may have prompted Singapore to express their concerns.