ISLAMABAD, June 29 The proposed affiliation of a newly-formed Pakistan Amateur Circle Kabaddi Federation (PACKF) with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has been opposed by several sports federations who term the move as a bid to give parallel status to the new body of Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF), already registered with the board.

The proposed affiliation of the PACKF is on the agenda of the 69th meeting of the Executive Committee of the PSB scheduled to be held on Tuesday.

“The PKF is already registered with the board and is carrying many international and national credentials with it, however, formation of a 'parallel' federation will open a Pandora's box for others to join the race of registration with the PSB,” an executive member of the board told Dawn on Monday.

Forty national sports federations are affiliated with the PSB and are consistently being funded for national and international tours and training camps.

The member on the condition of anonymity said, “The PKF was formed in 1962 and for the last three decades they are holding national championships while also participating in 33 international events across the world. PKF is already managing several kinds of kabaddi including circle, beach, rectangular, indoor and female.”

The member pointed out, “The federation was given a provisional affiliation with the PSB during the tenure of former federal sports minister Najamuddin Khan, now federal minister for states and frontier regions.”

Meanwhile, the official spokesman of the board said, “The 69th meeting of the board will meet here at the Pakistan Sports Complex under president of the PSB, Federal Sports Minister Pir Aftab Shah Jilani.”

Regarding the agenda items, he said the members would approve the budget estimated of the PSB for the year 2008-09.

The committee would discuss the re-appropriation of funds of Rs1.8 million for the Pakistan Bridge Federation, to consider affiliations of Pakistan Deaf Sports Council and Pakistan Netball Federation with the PSB.

Discussion on re-appropriation of funds for the Pakistani contingent participating in the first Asian Youth Games at Singapore is also on the agenda.