KARACHI: Former hockey Olympian Islahuddin Siddiqui praised Sindh Sports Minister Sardar Mohammad Baksh Khan Mehar and Secretary Sports Sindh Dr Niaz Abbasi for successful holding the recently-concluded Sindh Games.

“Efforts of Sardar Mohammad Baksh Khan Mehar and Secretary Sports Sindh Dr Niaz Abbasi are commendable for successfully organizing Sindh Games and also for keeping financial matters transparent,” Islahuddin said during post Sindh Games press briefing here on Saturday at Sindh Boys Scouts Auditorium.

He also praised media for their good work, which promoted Sindh Games.

On the occasion, Senior Vice President Sindh Olympics Association (SOA) Waseem Hashmi, SOA Secretary Ahmed Ali Rajput, Chairman Media Committee Asif Azeem, Director Sports Sindh Shahzad Parvaiz and several other sports officials were also present on the occasion.

While responding to a question regarding Sindh Games expenditure, SOA’s Waseem Hashmi said that Rs 46 million were allocated while Rs 6.3m were spent on opening and closing ceremony.

Another Rs14m were spend on accessories like track suits, t-shirts, shoes, blazers, medals and trophies for players and officials through an open tender. Another Rs15.71m were spent on daily allowance paid to 35 event organising secretaries, 279 technical officials, and six division contingents 24 officials and 2614 players and officials.

Another Rs4.9m were spent on accommodating five division officials and players of interior at different hotels and also organising closing ceremony at 15 different venues and also for purchasing some more trophies.

He further said that before Sindh Games, Rs1.16m was given to divisional commissioners for holding trials for different sports’ events. Another Rs3.1m was given to five divisional commissioners as traveling allowance for travelling to Karachi and back to their respective cities.

Hashmi added that there were still some accounts to be resolved, which will soon be done after their scrutiny.

Later Asif Azeem praised media for highlighting talented players during Sindh Games and hoped that those players would bring laurels for the country in future.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2018