LAHORE, Nov 13: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has stopped further funding to its Punjab chapter, which needs more grant to complete the under-construction wrestling stadium in the premises of Iqbal Park Sports Complex.

Director General PSB Brig Arif Siddiqi who visited the site on Sunday said the federal government had released Rs19 million for the stadium. But now the provincial government would have to meet the remaining expenses.

The project was announced in 1998 by the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif but its construction work started last year after a gap of more than six years.

“The federal government had released Rs19 million from the SAVER Funds. It could not issue any more funds for the same project twice,” he said.

The SAVER Fund scheme was introduced to raise funds for organizing the SAF Games held in Islamabad in 1989.

Director General Punjab Sports Board Munawar Abbas said that they required an amount of Rs8.6 million more to complete work on stairs, hostel and sewerage lines.

“Yes, the PSB is not in a position to give further grant, so, I have brought the matter to the notice of Punjab Sports Department,” Munawar added.

The people who had tried to commercialise the National Hockey Stadium and the Punjab Stadium were still facing inquiries, he added.

“Personally, I am in favour of commercialisation as the stadiums like National Hockey Stadium have gradually turned into white elephants, but the previous experience in this connection is not so pleasant,” he said.