May 16, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 10, 1429

KARACHI, May 15: Sindh Football Association (SFA) on Thursday appealed to the Sindh government to issue lease orders for a piece of land for the Goal Project in the city, a plan for which was earlier shelved due to bureaucratic red-tape.

Chairman of the SFA, Abbas Baloch asked the Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to issue allotment orders of the land so that the construction of a Football House and other facilities could be started at the Goal Project.

“I request you to give allotment orders of the land for the Project, which has been a victim of red-tapism from the bureaucracy’s, so that construction could be started for the betterment of soccer in the city and province,” SFA official appealed.

The game’s international ruling body, FIFA, had sanctioned special amount for the second Goal Project in Pakistan after the first project was launched in Lahore.

The second $400,000 Goal Project in Karachi, which is being funded by FIFA, was approved by Goal Bureau on Dec 3, 2006 with an aim to give Pakistan more training and educational facilities to improve their standards.

However, since then construction at the project venue, the Trans Lyari Park, has been stalled as the provincial government is yet to give the lease orders.

Abbas also requested the chief minister to revive teams of CDGK, KW&SB, KBCA ABL, PTCL, MCB, HBFC, State Bank of Pakistan to promote soccer.

“Soccer pitches are being turned into cricket grounds in several districts of Sindh which is damaging soccer. I would also request you to stop this conversion for the sake of promotion of football.”

The SFA official also asked the chief minister to ask Pakistan Rangers to vacate Football House, Peoples Sports Complex and Mughal Football Ground.