While cycling on Pakistan’s lone velodrome at the Nishtar Sports Complex, Lahore, one often gets jerks as the velodrome field has developed cracks.
Built in 1954, the velodrome is not in a perfect shape and poses danger to cyclists’ safety.
The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) sanctioned Rs50 million for a new velodrome at the same place in 2005 and released Rs7.5 million for the spade work. The project never started off because at that time the Punjab government claimed the land of the velodrome was not the property of the federal government.
The issue was never resolved afterwards. Interestingly, when the land controversy was raised, PSB’s official in Lahore was Amir Hamza Gilani, who later headed the PSB in 2008. Despite knowing well the issue, Amir did not take any measure to start the construction work of the velodrome. He is still PSB director general.
In 2009, Punjab Sports Department Secretary Rao Iftikhar also offered the PSB that the Punjab government was ready to build the new velodrome if the federal government had no objection. What happened to the offer is not a secret.
Under the 18th Amendment, sport is a provincial subject but the velodrome has not been transferred to the Punjab government. There is also no serious attempt from the Punjab government to take over the velodrome and to renovate it for cyclists.
As cycling is a commoner’s sport the provincial government should construct velodrome in all districts to promote it. It is ironic that the available infrastructure is fully under the control of the Punjab Sports Board only to be used to oblige favorite sports organisers in the absence of sports policies.
Competitions under the heavy-budgeted festival started last week in union councils. The activity seems only on papers. Last year, the government spent Rs7 billion on the festival but except of a couple of events no other events could attract the masses. The formation of a national flag and singing of national anthem by a large number of people were the only big attraction of the last year festival.
The heavy spending of Rs7 billion did not make a difference on sport scene of the province. Also, the festival dwarfed the entire sports budget of Pakistan. Who will believe that the total budget of Pakistan Sports Board is around Rs700 million, half of which is being spent on administration?
The province badly needs sports infrastructure; the provincial metropolis is not in position to host the South Asian level games.
Had the provincial government made a comprehensive programme to build sports infrastructure with the amount being spent on Youth Festival, the province would have at least four cities to host the South Asian level games.
The Lahore Region Cricket Association (LRCA) is starting a mega event of T20 cricket in the next week in which all 170 registered and non registered clubs of Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) will feature.
There are 140 clubs registered with the LCCA, while the status of remaining clubs is questionable. The interim head of the LRCA, Saiyed Aizad, has decided to give chance to all the clubs to come and show their potential.
The tournament will take almost three to four months to complete in two phases. In the first part, the matches will be played on knock-out basis.For the second phase, eight top clubs each of three zones of the LCCA namely West, North and East will qualify which will be played on league basis. n