This last week a two-year long dispute between the government of Pakistan and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been resolved, paving the way for avoiding a ban on the sports activities in Pakistan.

Hopefully, the sports activities in the country will revive to its fullest. The matter is solved after the government has accepted the IOC Charter ensuring the international game’s governing body that it will not interfere in the affairs of national sports federations and the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and follow the IOC Charter in letter and spirit.

Some officials having vested interest in the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), with the help of few members of the original POA of retired Lt-Gen Arif Hasan, had established their own POA which was not recognized by the IOC.

With the support of the government, a new body of the POA headed by retired Maj-Gen Akram Sahi had put the country’s affiliation with the IOC at stake.

But the strict stand of the IOC forced the government to withdraw its support from Akram Sahi’s body only three days before when the international body was fully prepared to disassociate Pakistan from the international sports community.

It is hoped the government will support the IOC’s recognized body of the POA headed by retired Lt-Gen Arif Hasan for the sake of sports.

The Punjab University, taking action on an application, which bears no signature of any complainant, is playing with the future of two students of its Department of Sports Sciences and Physical Education (DSSPE) namely Aisha Qazi and Zeba Manzoor.

Some 12 athlete girls, who have earned gold medals in different games for the university at the inter-varsity level, in their applications had alleged that they were given ‘D’ grade degree in a grudge, though they deserved better grade being gold medalists.

With this ‘D’ grade degree, they say no institution will give them better job. The university has already cancelled the result cards of these athletes while forming a probe committee.

The head of probe committee convener, Syed Mansoor Sarwar, has submitted a report to the higher authority with his recommendation, suggesting both Aisha Qazi and Zeba Manzoor should again appear in the examination as rest of the 10 girls declared they had played no role in filing the complaint.

“We had summoned all 12 girls whose names were included in the complaint. All except Zeba and Aisha appeared and they informed the committee that their names were included in the complaint without their consent,” Mr Sarwar said.

“The minimum punishment has been given to Aisha and Zeba and both of them are told to appear again if they want to get their degrees,” he said.

When asked it was not easy for anyone to re-appear in the examination, Mr Sarwar asserted it was the minimum punishment.

He had virtually no answer when he was asked why the Punjab University had taken so serious a complaint which was carrying no signature of the complainant.

However, he said the rest of 10 players had appeared and recorded their statements. Since both Zeba and Aisha did not appear to disassociate themselves from the complaint, the minimum punishment was given to them.

Zeba, however, said she could not appear before the committee due to her participation at the inter-varsity level competition for her new (private) university.“I have informed the committee about my non-availability, but the decision has been taken in my absence,” she said.

Zeba said she along with Aisha will also move the court of ombudsman (for women) to get justice.

The Punjab government intends to raise funds for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) through sports. The government can cash in on a grand opportunity to raise maximum funds with the collaboration of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

As the national training camp is being set up in Lahore in the third week of July for its upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, the PCB and the Punjab government can organize some matches among Pakistani players to raise funds.

Published in Dawn, July 6th , 2014