KARACHI: The Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association’s (PBSA’s) quarter-of-a-century old dream to have their own academy came true on Saturday when the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) leased them a plot measuring 2250 square yards at the junction of Kashmir Road and New M. A. Jinnah Road for 25 years.

Administrator of the KMC, Mohammad Hussain Syed, and president of the PBSA, Alamgir Shaikh formally signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at a simple ceremony held at the Karachi Gymkhana. Chief of the Citizen-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), Ahmed Chinoy, and Senior Director, Culture, Sports, and Recreation KMC, Mohammad Rehan Khan, also signed the document as witnesses.

The ceremony was attended, among others, by provincial secretary Youth Affairs, Shoaib Siddiqui, secretary PBSA Munawar Hussain Sheikh, President Karachi Gymkhana Ali Rahim, Abbas Valika and Anjum Nisar.

At the outset, fateha was offered for the victims who lost their lives in the Baldia fire incident.

Speaking on the occasion, the KMC administrator said there was a five percent annual influx in the city and plans are afoot to create infra-structure for sports and recreation to avert diversion of youth to undignified activities.

He said soon after taking over charge of office, he put an embargo on marriages at KMC Sports Complex swimming pool besides giving his nod for turning the premises into a multi-purpose sports centre.

Emphasising upon public-private partnership, he said it was vital for the uplift of sports and to nurture sportspersons of the city.

Mohammad Hussain Syed recalled that work on the Landhi Sports Complex which started in 1991 has been completed and will be inaugurated by the Sindh Governor soon. He, however, lamented that swimming pool is being modified due to faulty design.

Asked about the period of lease, he said it is for 25 years and the renewal is subject to its proper utilisation. “We’ve been cautious now as those who were awarded amenity plots in the past have misused them,” he remarked.

The PBSA chief thanked the Sindh Governor, Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, for his blessings in the venture besides a word of praise for CPLC chief, KMC administrator and others.

Responding to a query, he said the proposed Sindh Snooker Academy would be constructed in two phases by raising funds through own resources.

Ahmed Chinoy and Shoaib Siddiqui also spoke on the occasion and elaborated on how the consistent efforts of PBSA chief bore fruitful results.