KARACHI: As the world debates over the sensitive issue of allowing Muslim women to play football while wearing the hijab, the First All Pakistan Women Hockey and Football Stadium is fast reaching completion here in Karachi.

Sindh Sports Minister Dr Mohammad Ali Shah, the man behind the project, says that he wants to involve as many people in sports here as he can and for this purpose, he will try to provide them with as many facilities as possible during his tenure as the sports minister of the southern province.

“Our daughters here want to play sports and, instead of placing hurdles in their way, we should support them in their endeavours. In my neighbourhood alone there are two girls’ hockey teams. Women’s football, too, is becoming quite popular here,” Dr Shah told Dawn on way to the special stadium he is building for girls.

The stadium located in Block-I, North Nazimabad is built on three-and-a-half acres of land. It is surrounded by a high boundary wall. The floodlights have already been installed and they are in the process of planting grass on the laser-leveled surface there at the moment.

“It is not a very big piece of land, I know, but it will serve the purpose as it is the correct size for a football or hockey field. Plus we are also going to build a small pavilion over there with a couple of dressing rooms and an office,” he said pointing towards the far end where they’ll also have some stands for the spectators.

“It’s a peaceful vicinity. The people living in the locality have resided here for years. They are good, well-educated families. No one will bother the girls as they play or practice,” pointed out the minister.

Elaborating on the project, Dr Shah said that it was not going to put a dent in their funds.

“Part of Sindh Government’s Association for the Development of Pakistan [ADP] Scheme, it is an 11 million rupees project with the flood lights included,” he informed.

“The land was lying vacant and I wanted to put it to good use before the land grabbers set their sights on it, so I got it allocated for sports,” he added.

On the way back, the minister also stopped at an under construction hockey ground, the North Nazimabad Gymkhana (NNG) Ground for men, which is also a part of the ADP Scheme. They were in the process of building a base for the blue Dessoturf to be laid there.

“We will soon have floodlights here as well,” he informed. The ground will have a grill and cement boundary for the pedestrians and other people outside to enjoy the view.

“Though we don’t have enough space to build a parking lot, we have, however, reserved space for a hostel and an office buliding, a few stands and a practice pitch the size of a ‘D’, where the boys can practice their penalty-corners. Outside we’ll have a few shops to generate funds for the upkeep of the stadium,” he explained.

“We plan to complete both these grounds very soon. The women’s ground will be ready first and this one right after that. I intend holding the first match at the men’s ground in June,” he said.

The men’s ground is surrounded by streets and roads named after hockey legends such as Qasim Zia Road, Sohail Abbas Road, Naseer Bunda Road, etc.

“It is no coincidence that the ground is being constructed here. I planned it this way,” said Dr Shah. “This is my constituency. I have named these and the other roads after other sports personalities myself in order to honour our legends,” he explained.