ISLAMABAD - Peshawar Board had clinched the All Pakistan Inter-Board Sports (Boys) competitions 2016 overall trophy. Peshawar got overall 1st position, BISE Lahore and FBISE Islamabad shared second position and BISE Faisalabad remained third. Rs 14,000 cash was given to each gold medal winner, Rs 10,000 each to silver medalists and Rs 5000 each to bronze medal winner were given as cash prizes.
On the last day, Lahore clinched badminton title and Islamabad Board lifted hockey with athletes remained highly discontent with the poor arrangements
Islamabad Board become the hockey champion as they thrashed Swat Board 9-1 in the final. Nauman scored five goals and almost single-handedly guided his board to title victory. Islamabad completely dominated the proceedings rights from the word go as Nauman opened team’s account in the 2nd minute. Usman made it 2-0 in the 7th minute as the first quarter ended with Islamabad comfortably leading 2-0. It took only a minute for Nauman to score his second and team’s third goal. Usman then scored his second while Haris scored the fifth goal for Islamabad in the 27th minute. For Swat, Tariq scored in the 28th minute which proved the only consolation for them.
Pakistan Hockey Federation President Brig (R) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar was due to attend the final as chief guest, but reasons best known to him, he stayed away and PHF secretary Shahbaz Senior graced the occasion as chief guest, DDG Facilities Agha Amjedullah, Director Media Shazia Ejaz, Assistant Director Hostels Malik Imtiaz Hussain, chairman, secretaries of boards and others were also present on the occasion. For third position, Abbottabad edged out Multan 3-., Shahbaz scored a brace for the winners while Adeel scored the third goal. Saddaqat and Shaukat Hussain scored a goal each for the losers. Lahore won the badminton final after thrashing Peshawar 2-0 while Rawalpindi got third place after defeating Islamabad 2-0.
All Pakistan Inter-Board Sports (Girls) Competition 2016 will be in action today. 28 boards from all over the country will compete in Athletics, Badminton, Table Tennis and Hockey. Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) Minister Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada will grace the opening ceremony as the chief guest.
Ironically, athletes like yesterday had to purchase meals on high prices proving all the claims made by Shahid Islam regarding subsidies rates and top quality food as mere empty statements. Canteen contractor charged Rs.120 for unhygienic food. Boys’ while talking to The Nation prior to their departure for respective destinations expressed their concerns: “We had to spent at least Rs. 200 daily from our own personal pockets as the meal provided inside PSB premises was very substandard. We were left with no other option but to search out for quality food at Aabpara market that cost us dearly. The PSB should have at least allocated Rs 600 dailiy so we could have managed our meals without passing on the burden to our parents.”
It is high time that IPC Minister should stop unconditional backing of DG PSB and order immediate inquiry against those who are responsible for player’s mistreatment. Players have a right for getting proper incentives and facilities in such high profile events. IPC Minister must ensure from the next year, either sizable raise given to daily allowances or provide three time meal at the PSB Hostels. If thePSB hostels could provide meal to more than 4000 athletes and officials on routine basis then what was the reason inter-board sports competitions participants were given step-motherly treatment. Now lies another bigger task as boys’ went out to buy meal but girls’ can’t do so and the girls should be provided the meal inside the PSB hostels.
The PSB has shifted female players to Fatima Jinnah hostel while male players stayed at Allama Iqbal hostel, which is in shambles as despite lapse of more than 3-months renovation/maintenance work is nowhere near completion. Bathroom and roofs of the building are leaking from all corners. To make things the worst, the PSB had agreed to start national senior hockey team camp at Islamabad, while national senior female hockey championship would also start at Naseer Bunda Stadium from 29th. The millions of rupees have been spent so far on so-called renovation/maintenance of different blocks of the complex but due to no check and balance from the IPC Minister, the quality of the work is very low. Prime Minister must form an inquiry commission comprising personnel of utmost competence and integrity who could probe into loopholes and mismanagement of the current DG and his team and any delays would only aggravate the situation.