RAWALPINDI, Jan 23: A sum of Rs 12.5 million was approved on Friday for upgradation of the Liaquat Bagh squash complex, rendered useless by floods that hit Rawalpindi in 2002.

A meeting between the top squash officials and the district and tehsil nazims in Rawalpindi decided that while the four existing courts will be repaired, two new ones will be added along with some offices.

The PSF has agreed to provide Rs5million for the project while the rest will be put in by the Punjab Squash Association (PSA) which is to seek the chief minister's help in this regard.

A deadline of Feb 20 has been set for the Rawalpindi Squash Association (RSA) to finalise all the details before work on the project begins in earnest.PSF secretary, Wng Cdr Sajid Waheed told Dawn that it was their desire that the refurbished complex be inaugurated by holding a $12,000 Pakistan International Circuit in December.

The meeting however could not decide who will have the administrative control of the complex once it is completed. The Liaquat Bagh courts were completed in 1988 through funds provided by the Federal Government. Before the floods, the complex was the centre of all activity for the players of Rawalpindi.

Sajid said that the PSF understood the importance of Rawalpindi as a major squash nursery which has produced the famous Gul brothers and a number of other top players. "In the past, the major lot of players for Punjab came from Rawalpindi."

Friday's meeting was attended by the senior vice president of PSF, Air Marshal Rashid Kaleem, secretary Sajid, president of PSA, Lt. Gen Zarar Azeem, head of the local association, Mohsin Sheikh, district nazim Tariq Kiyani and tehsil nazim Raja Hamid Nawaz.

Meanwhile, Sajid said that there had been no progress on a request for exemption of duty on 30 backside glass walls and as many wooden floors. Although the Prime Minister had agreed to waive off duty, the case is now with the finance ministry."