GUJRAT: The Punjab sports department has planned establishment of a state of the art multi-purpose sports complex in Gujrat, besides upgrade of the Zahoor Elahi Cricket Stadium, where floodlights would also be installed.

Official sources say a summary has been moved to the Punjab chief minister’s office by the sports department for the approval of a supplementary grant of Rs3.5 billion by the cabinet’s standing committee on finance and development, since the sports complex scheme was not included in the annual development budget. They say the decision to build the sports facility at the divisional headquarters was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Parvez Elahi at his office that was also attended by minister for sports, secretary concerned, and chairmen of the Punjab Sports Board and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sept 7.

They say the land revenue department has also identified a piece of land measuring 113 kanals on Samman-Dinga road for the sports complex, comprising a synthetic hockey turf, a multi-purpose sports hall, tartan athletics track, a football arena and a cricket ground with pavilion.

The sources say for upgrade and renovation of the Zahoor Elahi Cricket Stadium and installation of floodlights there, PCB Chairman Rameez Raja has been asked to provide assistance to the sports department.

As per the summary moved by the secretary of sports and youth affairs Ali Jan Khan, a supplementary grant of Rs3.5 billion would be required from the current Annual Development Programme (ADP 2022-23) for Punjab Sports Board to execute both project.

An official of the sports department says that earlier in 2016-17 a sports complex was established at Gakkhar Mandi town of Gujranwala during the Shahbaz Sharif-led Punjab government on the recommendation of Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. Ghakkar is ancestral town of COAS Bajwa.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2022