Lahore will host the FIFA World Cup Football Trophy-2018 on Feb 3 at a time when its governing body has suspended the membership of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF). The world’s most popular sporting event -- FIFA World Cup -- is being held in Russia from June 14 to July 15 this year. For the first time, Pakistan has been picked as one of 91 destinations of the World Cup Trophy to host the trophy.

Every FIFA member country gets opportunity to play qualifying round for the World Cup.

Last year, FIFA had suspended the membership of PFF and consequently, the country could not play any World Cup qualifying matches. However, the official sponsors of the World Cup included Lahore as one of the destinations for the trophy.

On this pride moment, the managers of the game in Pakistan should reflect over dirty politics and undue interference of the government in the affairs of the national footballers, which had prompted FIFA to suspend the membership of Pakistan.

Last week, a preliminary ceremony by the Pakistan’s leg of official sponsors of the World Cup was held in Lahore. Rizwan U Khan, country’s head of the official sponsor, said his team had made special efforts to convince their world bosses to include Pakistan on the list of hosting countries. A special chartered plane will bring the trophy from Thailand to Lahore. First, the trophy will be unveiled to the media and later to the public.

Pakistan football teams captains Hajra and Kaleemullah have welcomed the trophy tour to Lahore.

Mr Rizwan also announced that 30 Pakistani fans would be picked through a draw to see matches in Russia. Also, a Pakistani child will be present at toss at a World Cup match between Brazil and Costa Rica on June 22.

Lahore has also the honour of hosting Olympic, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games torches on many occasions.

The last week, the most successful international cricket umpire from Pakistan Aleem Dar, hosted a function in honour of the deaf players of his cricket academy, who have been selected for the national team for the world cup for deaf.

Mr Dar has set up the cricket academy for regular and deaf players in Johar Town on the land given to him from the Punjab government.

Former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Khalid Mahmood, Azhar Zaidi, who has also acted as manager of the Pakistan team way back in 2000, and a mentor of the academy spoke.

Mr Dar hinted at the possibility of quitting the international umpiring after the World Cup matches in 2019. Mr Dar is 50 but the International Cricket Council has no age bar on umpires.

Mr Mahmood, however, advised Mr Dar not to take any such decision as his presence on the ICC panel was a pride for for the country. Mr Dar has also opened a chain of restaurants and plans to dedicate some of its profits to the welfare of the deaf people and cricketers.

Mr Dar is the only international umpire, who has supervised more than 100 Test matches. On three consecutive years from 2009 to 2011, he was declared the ICC best umpire. In 2005 and 2006, he was also in the race for the title of the best umpire but failed to get it. Since 2000, he has been on the ICC panel which is a great achievement for him.

Last week, Punjab hosted three matches of the World Cup for Deaf, one each in Lahore, Gujranwala and Faisalabad. Pakistan played two matches and remained victorious. First, it defeated Bangladesh in Lahore by nine wickets and then Nepal in Gujranwala by an identical margin. Nepal and Bangladesh played the third match in Faisalabad, which Bangladesh won. For the second leg of the tournament, which is going on in Ajman, UAE, Pakistan lost the third match to arch-rival India. The Pakistani team’s five top players, including Badar Munir, who had struck back-to-back centuries against Bangladesh and Nepal, could not get UAE visas. Anyhow, Pakistan have the chances to play the final. If India, Australia or Sri Lanka qualify for the final, the match will be held in Ajman as the three teams are reluctant to play in Lahore. In case Pakistan play the final against Bangladesh, Lahore will be the venue.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2018