ISLAMABAD - Athletes, having camps at the Pakistan Sports Complex, have urged Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada to take stern action against irregularities in the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and provide them justice and due rights.

Sharing their woes with The Nation, the athletes said: “We are not being provided with much-need vitamins and meat while substandard milk and juices are being given to us due to which many athletes have been fallen ill. We have registered complaints against Malik Imtiaz for giving us such substandard meal and food but no heed was paid yet rather we were warned of dire consequences.

“A lot of athletes got sick due to one or another reason, but Malik is not ready to listen to our genuine complaints. We have also tried to contact PSB Director General Akhtar Ganjera, but he is out of country, while we are not allowed to meet acting DG Fayyaz-ul-Haq. All our efforts failed to bring results as the persons sitting in the PSB are not helping us rather they are using delaying tactics to save the skins of each other.

“We are also not provided with fruits, which are very necessary for us, as we have to train for hours and our body requires supplements and fruits. Nothing was done when we requested time and again but when we warned that we would inform our coaches and concerned persons, then we were hardly provided with poor quality fruits,” they added.

The athletes further said that due to poor cleanliness in the hostels, all the athletes have been suffering a lot as there are mosquitoes and insects, which don’t allow them to sleep well, and they remain upset throughout the day and even during their training sessions. “Majority of us are staying at Jinnah Hostel, which is in shambles, as there are filthy bathrooms, dirty kitchen, beds and bed sheets, where it is almost impossible to sleep. How on earth one can expect us to win even ordinary events after going through such mental and physical pains.

“It is our humble request to the IPC minister to pay surprise visit and check what is going here. In the past too, a lot of complaints were registered against Malik Imtiaz for his highly objectionable and abusive language against the players and even hostel employees are not safe from his foul language,” they added.

When this scribe brought the entire matter into the notice of PSB DG Akhtar Ganjera and requested him to conduct an inquiry, he promised to do so. “If found any evidence, I will punish the culprits.”

But after a lapse of almost a month, nothing on ground was done. Ganjera and some other PSB officials are in Turkmenistan, where they have been watching Vth Indoor Games, while the PSB is left at the mercy of incompetent assistant director hostels, who is free to do whatever he likes and it seems there is no one, who may stop him from depriving the athletes of their due rights.

A number of corruption cases and submitting false bills are already pending against Malik Imtiaz, while the previous acting DG Kiyal Zad Gul had sent written complaint to IPC secretary Amjed Ali Khan, who took action and issued orders to hand over Malik to NAB and FIA and cases should be registered against him for forgery and inflicting huge damages on national exchequer, but to the utter disappointment, all files were withheld and nothing was done.

When this scribe contacted acting DG Fayyaz-ul-Haq and brought the entire issue into his notice, he promised to take strict action and not to tolerate such things. “I was not aware of that and I am thankful to The Nation for updating me. It is my promise that I will conduct inquiry and provide justice to the players, while I will also report the matter to IPC secretary and minister.”

When this met director media Azam Dar to seek his point of view in this regard, he said he is also unaware of the entire situation. “I promise to resolve the issue and if anything is wrong, I will take action.” About Malik Imtiaz’ behavior and treatment with athletes, Dar bluntly admitted that a little bit corruption is allowed.

After free electricity and free sui gas, now the PSB employees have also started enjoying free meal. When reminded government has strictly prohibited even Grade-18 and 19 staff not to use air conditioners but most of the things have been going on against the government laws, Dar failed to answer.