Pakistan Super League chairman Najam Sethi announced last week that the final of the next edition of the PSL would be held in Lahore. It may not be easy to convince foreign players to play in Pakistan but one hopes the PSL authorities must have done homework to materialise the plan which is quite encouraging.

The main problem in hosting the final here is the security of foreign players. For the first edition held in the UAE in February this year, the PSL authorities offered to the foreign players more money for playing in Pakistan but Mr Sethi disclosed that not a single player was ready for it.

There is also talk about the possibility that the Karachi administration may give its consent to hold the final in the port city. There may be an option for the PSL authorities to hold the opening ceremony and first match either in Lahore and Karachi and the final in Dubai.

In a recent move, the PCB bought four bullet-proof coasters for the foreign cricket teams. This is a good step and can help bring the international cricket back to Pakistan, which has been suspended since 2009 after the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore.

During the last tour of Zimbabwe cricket team to Lahore to play three ODIs and two T20 matches, the treatment given to the spectators was not friendly. The spectators thronged Qadhafi Stadium in all five matches.

The Sports Board Punjab (SBP) has made announcement about the inauguration of the International Swimming Pool, which is being built at the Nishtar Sports Complex for the last eight years, many times in the past but it has failed to do so.

Launched with an estimated cost of Rs180 million, the project was supposed to be completed in two-year duration but it has been delayed for the last many years which has increased the cost to more than Rs400 million.

Secretary Sports Humayun Mazhar Sheikh claimed last week that the pool would be available for the public in August. It is an encouraging announcement but given the importance of the project and the money involved, an impartial inquiry must be conducted to fix responsibility for the delay.

Around six years ago, Wapda had completed an indoor swimming pool at its sports complex in Lahore and engaged professionals to deal with the project.

The Punjab government has constituted a three-member committee headed by former provincial sports minister Rana Mashhood to chalk out a comprehensive programme to have sporting activities on Independence Day. The secretaries of sports and information are also on the committee.

The celebrations will be held when the Rio Olympics 2016 (Brazil) will be around the corner. Except some Pakistani shooters, no athlete has qualified for the Olympics. Pakistan hockey team also failed to qualify for the event for the first time.

The federal and provincial governments in the last three years have spent funds on organising youth festivals, ignoring the promotion of real sports. And now the provincial government will again hold some sporting events to celebrate Independence Day but it will do nothing to take steps to prepare athletes to earn medals in international competitions such as Asian and Olympic Games.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2016

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