ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has postponed the first Quaid-i-Azam Inter-provincial Games which were scheduled to be held here from June 9 to 12 at the Sports Complex.

Sources told Dawn that the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) on Tuesday informed the SBP that the Games have been postponed while others claimed that in fact the Games have been called off.

When contacted PSB’s director general (technical) Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera, he said that the Games were not taking place. “We have been telephonically directed by the IPC Ministry to convey it to the provincial sports boards and other stakeholders that the Games won’t be held,” he said.

On the other hand, focal person in conduct of the Inter-provincial Games Azam Dar who happens to be National Federations director failed to cite solid reasons behind postponement or cancellation of the Games.

“I don’t know the reason behind this development as we are yet to receive any official latter. Apparently it seems the decision has been taken due to hot weather,” he said.

It is relevant to note here that Rs100 million were allocated in fiscal year 2014-15 for holding of the National Games which is the sole domain of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA).

But the PSB has been claiming that the funds are not meant for the conduct of the National Games, rather they were earmarked for holding of the Inter-provincial Games.

On the other hand, the PSB has been seeking to convince the sports federations as well as the POA that the said funds are not meant for holding of the National Games arguing that there is some sort of mistake in the budget document.

Sports circles, however, point figures at the PSB for its failure to hold the Games during the first 11 months of the fiscal year saying that now when the fiscal year is about to end it decides to hold the Games in haste.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2015

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