LAHORE, Aug 8: Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) was hopeful that India would participate in the ninth SAF Games, if Pakistan held it tentatively in January next year.

Welcoming the decision of the federal government of regaining the hosting rights of the SAF Games, POA secretary Mohammad Latif Butt told Dawn that Indian Olympic Association (IOC) had already supported Pakistan in its bid to host the games.

Asked what surety was there that the IOC would not show the same attitude which they had shown last time by not sending its delegation to attend the SASF meeting, Latif said the situation had changed.

“The relations between the two neighbouring countries are far better  now. Both the countries have appointed their  High Commissioners, bus service from Lahore to Delhi has been resumed and similarly the rail and air links between them are to be resumed, therefore, I see no problem India will not come to Pakistan, now,” Latif said.

The secretary said that POA had to receive an official information from the sports ministry in this connection. But he added, POA was already in touch with the other countries to get their consensus.

Asked how the national sports federations would extend their cooperation to the federal government which had stopped the grant of some 13 important federations for not implementing the national sports policy, Latif said that was another issue.

“We have always extended our cooperation to the government on principles and there was not a single complaint lodged when POA and the SAF Games organising committee worked jointly before the event was shifted from Pakistan.

“We will continue to support and cooperate the SAF Games organising committee in holding the event in a befitting manner,” the POA secretary vowed.

He said after getting the official communication, POA would call an emergency SASF meeting on a 15-day notice. The venue of the meeting would be decided later, he said.

He thanked the president of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf for taking the decision of hosting the Games.

“A lot of funds had been used to improve the sports infrastructure and import of sports equipment for the Games and that would have been wasted if not used for the main purpose,” Latif said.

Asked to comment on the resignation of Pakistan Sports Board director general Brig. Saulat Abbas who stopped the grants of the national sports federations Latif said that neither federations nor POA officials were interested to replace him (Saulat).