Finally the International Swimming Pool Complex at the Nishtar Sports Complex in Lahore is nearing completion after a considerable delay of four years. Though the Sports Board Punjab has not announced any final date for the inauguration of the pool, which will be the first of its kind in Lahore, it is hoped the four-season pool will start functioning by October-end.

The project, which has been much delayed mainly due to the negligence of the provincial government, was to be completed in 2010 with an estimated cost of Rs160 million. The delay has increased the cost of the project to a staggering amount of Rs300 million.

SBP Director-General Usman Anwar had visited the venue last week and announced that the project was nearing completion.

“International Swimming Pool Complex, when completed, will be another top level sporting facility in the provincial capital. Final touches are being given to the grand project. The modern swimming pool will be functional within two months period,” he said.

Mr Anwar said the pool was equipped with filtration and electronic systems. “The pool will have the facility of warm and cold water and the temperature of water can be changed as per the requirement of swimmers and weather conditions. Security cameras are also being installed at the swimming pool,” he disclosed.

“The new pool will help Pakistan in producing swimmers of international standard. Our country has plenty of potential in every field. They just need proper grooming and international facilities and training. And the SBP is doing everything to make the future of Pakistan sports bright,” he said.

The Lahore Lions kabbadi team has once again left for India to feature in the ongoing World Kabbadi League, while the Lahore Lions cricket team has still not received Indian visa to participate in the T20 Champions League.

The cricketers are to leave for India on Sept 9, but the Indian interior ministry has still not issued a clearance letter to its Pakistan High Commissioner.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is still hopeful that the clearance may come by Monday and the team will travel to India according to the schedule. The kabbadi team has left for India via Wagah border on the previous visa which was still valid.

The Lahore Lions team has won three out of four matches while it will play its fifth match against Indian singer Yo Yo Honey Singh’s team in Ludhiana on Sunday. It will be the third phase of the league. In first two phases the matches of the league were held in England and India. The third round was to be held in the US and fourth in Canada, but facing a delay in issuance of visas by the US and Canada, the organizers have decided to hold the third round in India. The semi-final round is to be held in Lahore or Faisalabad.

Meanwhile, the recent heavy rains in Lahore have disturbed the preparations of the Lahore Lions cricket team. It had the plan to play some matches in floodlight at the Qadhafi Stadium, but its ground has turned into a pool.

The team’s preparations were also hit when its key players like Muhammad Hafeez, Wahab Riaz and Umar Akmal could not join it because of their engagement in the Sri Lanka tour. They joined the team on Sept 2, but the heavy rains halted the entire preparations.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2014