September 01, 2008	Monday	Sha'aban 29, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: The sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Sports will meet on Monday to discuss declining of hockey and squash in the country and evaluate sports policy violation by 42 sports federations.

Senator Enver Baig told Dawn on Saturday that the meeting would also review Pakistan’s debacle at the Olympics.

He said the committee requested squash legends Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan and Mohibullah to suggest ways to improve the game in the country.

To get advice about improvement of hockey, Enver said, they invited Jahangir Butt, Islahuddin and Abdul Waheed.

Enver pointed out that they would discuss the issue of sports policy violation and two-term deadline as they knew that federations had long been ‘violating’ the policy.

The sub-committee has also summoned Pakistan Sports Board’s top brass about their role in the development of sports.

However, the sub-committee has ignored an important organisation of the country – Pakistan Olympic Association (POA).

An official of the POA on condition of anonymity said the sub-committee should have called them for the meeting as POA was equally concerned about declining standards of sports in the country.

About the two-term violation by various sports federations, the official said, “We must be given a chance in the sub-committee so that we can give our point of view regarding the constraints in the two-term sports policy violation.”

He added, “We want to work for the development of sports side by side with the government and sports federations.

“We would look forward to the senate body to hear our view point.”