islamabad - Ali Khan is all set to launch Sohail Tanvir Sports Foundation (STSF), which will cover all the expenses of the deserving athletes.
Ali expressed these views during an interview to The Nation. He said: “I have left a very lucrative job in South Africa just for the passion of sports and country, as sitting too far from Pakistan, I always wanted to do something for my country’s sports fraternity.”
He said: “When I heard the sad news of Philip Hughes, I immediately made up my mind to return home and start a sports foundation, which will be expanded to different countries. I applied for registration as Philip Hughes Sports Foundation, but I was told it was not possible to name after an international athlete until his or her family was physically present.
“I then discussed the entire issue with my brother Sohail Tanvir and sought his help to fulfill my dream. He, without a delay, gave me permission to use his name and start the noble work. I have made up my mind not to restrict the foundation to only cricket, rather it will be gradually expanded to other sports and work for especially the highly-ignored sports, which never get due recognition in Pakistan,” he added.
Ali said he would also work on disabled sports. “I have watched a number of organisations working in the name of disabled athletes just exists on papers and don’t have any ground reality. In my personal opinion, disabled are highly blessed ones and just need a proper platform, where they may showcase their skills. They have potential to win laurels for the country at any given stage. I have no lust of name and fame but I just have a simple aim to give Pakistani athletes a proper platform.”
He said that Sohail Tanvir had promised him to allocate a sizable amount from his personal pocket for the noble cause. “I have also invested a huge amount of money in establishing office in Rawalpindi, working on registering the organisation and hiring highly professional team, which will travel to different cities and far flung areas to detect the raw talent. They will recommend us and we will either invite them to Islamabad or try to adjust them in their own cities.”
“I am leaving for USA on special invitation of Carrabin Premier League (CPL) franchise Guyana Amazon Warriors, the same club for which Sohail Tanvir is playing in the CPL, to check the league and possibility of expanding our foundation to this part of the world. They are planning cricket activities in Florida and I am quite hopeful it will be a highly fruitful visit and I will be able to not only learn something, but also open branch of our organisation in USA as well,” he added.
“I am highly grateful to M Hanif Abbasi, who very kindly allowed Sohail Tanvir to utilise Muslim High School floodlight cricket stadium for academy purposes, but also conduct exhibition matches. We will organise a fund-raiser cricket match in Rawalpindi by the end of this month or early next month, in which top current and past stars will be seen in action and the entire income of the match will be utilised for the uplift of deserving players,” Ali concluded.
