KARACHI, Nov 17: Secretary Karachi City District Amateur Basketball Association (KCDABA) Abdul Nasir has expressed concern on the axing of basketball from 30th National Games which are due to take place in the city from Feb 11 – 17.

“I was taken aback after going through the list of disciplines in newspapers which did not include basketball,” he said in a statement on Friday.

The official said following elections of Pakistan Amateur Basketball Federation (PABF) on the orders of Supreme Court recently the atmosphere was conducive and it’s high time to include the game as a discipline.

He agreed the cagers can’t go to Doha Asian Games as they are preceded by qualifying rounds, but at the same time pointed out there was no valid ground to stop them from participation in National Games at home.

“The non-inclusion of basketball will deprive scores of players across the country of a chance to prove their mettle and they will have to wait for another two years,” remarked the outspoken official.

He urged the authorities including POA president Lt. Gen (retd) Syed Arif Hasan and Sindh Sports Minister Qamar Mansoor to include the game in the larger national interest.

Litigation had already deprived the cagers from competing in the last four National Games. Army claimed the title when the event last took place in the 25th National Games at Quetta. Wapda took the silver while Navy settled for bronze.