KARACHI Mismanagement by the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) on Friday on the finals of Benazir international boxing irked the media and caused embarrassing moments for Olympic heroes including bronze medallist Hussain Shah at the KPT Sports Complex.
The media was stopped from entering at gate No 3 of the complex which was being used by the media earlier to park their vehicles. When the media personnel reached gate No 3, they were asked by the policemen to park their cars outside the complex and enter through gate No 1.
However, when the media persons reached gate No 1, the police personnel refused to let them enter, asking them to go through gate No 3. When the policemen were shown the press accreditation cards and identities, they said the media could not be allowed to enter on the orders of the Superintendent of Police and other senior officers.
When this reporter asked the concerned SP the reason for not allowing the media to enter, he said he cannot allow entry since he was ordered by Major Nasir Tung who was representing the organisers and was security in-charge.
'I don't have orders from Major Nasir. I cannot allow anybody, not even the media. I can allow only those who are named or pointed out by Major Nasir. I am helpless,' said the SP looking after the security of the complex.
When the media raised hue and cry, the SP tried to contact Major Nasir but he neither came to the gate nor did he ask the SP to let the journalists enter.
The police were not even letting the journalists enter after being asked by PBF vice-president Iqbal Hussain who had coincidently reached there in his car and wanted to enter the complex. The SP was adamant that he would not let the media enter without getting orders from Major Nasir.
'Is he (Major Nasir) superior than me? I am the vice-president of the federation and I have made him security in-charge. Just open the gate and let the media in,' Iqbal told the SP only to receive a reply in negative.
Iqbal called up Major Nasir on his cell phone and gave him a dressing down, ordering him to come to the gate immediately and asked the SP to let the media in.
'Major, you come at once to the gate. What are you doing inside. They are not spectators. They are the media. There is always room for them. You cannot stop the media. Don't you know that,' Iqbal told Major Nasir over his cell phone.
The major eventually came to the gate but the police had already opened the gate for the media after sensing Major Nasir is Iqbal's subordinate. The reporters managed to get inside the venue after struggling for some 45 minutes.
Interestingly, Major Nasir was also admonished by PBF secretary Akram Khan for security lapse when a crowd of fans mobbed world light-welterweight champion Amir Khan inside the venue.
Even Olympic boxer Malang Baloch was stopped and refused entry by the police on the orders of Major Nasir, while the grandchildren of Pakistan's only Olympic medallist Hussain Shah were also not allowed to enter. Malang was allowed in only when some officials from local boxing association rescued him. Hussain, who is a guest from Japan and specially invited by PBF, was also seen requesting the policemen posted at the gates to allow his grandchildren to come inside the venue after which the police finally let them in.
Furious over the humiliating attitude of the security in-charge, after entering the venue Malang grabbed and pushed Major Nasir for giving him a shabby treatment.
Interestingly, while Lyari, where the venue is situated is a scene of violence and at least 10 people were killed on Thursday, the venue on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (Jan 4, 5 and 6) did not have a single security official at a least two check points.
The security posts at gate No 3 and the entrance to the football stadium, where heavy presence of law enforcement agencies was seen on the first two days of the tournament, were abandoned, while only one police official was present at the exit of the football stadium which takes one into the venue, casually sipping tea.
On reaching the entrance of venue hall, not a single police official checked when this reporter passed through the metal detector placed in front of the entrance.
Incomprehensible 'security measures' taken by Major Nasir also deprived hundreds of boxing fans from watching their heroes in action as policemen refused to let them in on major's orders. Such a step was illogical since there was ample room for spectators inside the hall.
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