ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) just announced conducting of 1st Quaid-e-Azam Inter-Provincial Games from June 9 to 12 here at Pakistan Sports Complex, but surprisingly against sheer violation of Lahore High Court orders, in which two-member bench had clearly barred PSB DG Dr Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera from holding the office.
Ganjera is making all the shots. Interestingly, a number of committees were formed to conduct the games in a befitting manner, but Ganjera managed to include a number of his blue-eyed persons in the list who had nothing to do with the PSB or the IPC ministry.
When this scribe visited the PSB Thursday and checked the list of different committees, a number of irregularities were witnessed. When this scribe wanted to know why such persons were included, who are neither PSB employees nor any link with sports, Director National Federations failed to give satisfactory answer, instead he showed his complete unawareness and promised to take up the issue.
When this scribe contacted Deputy Director General M Shahid in this regard, who would head media committee and raised objection on a few certain individuals, who didn't attend the meeting but were included in the committee, Shahid said: “We are also unaware of such few persons’ inclusion and the list includes a name as PSB official, but the said person is not a PSB employee.” Shahid promised to take up the issue and resolve the matter soon.
The IPC minister and secretary have completely closed their eyes when it comes to implementing court orders and seeking answers of wrongdoings. The self-styled policies of deposed DG Ganjera gave a number of favors bypassing all the rules and regulations of the PSB. The planning commission has allocated a huge amount to conduct the event, but it seems fighting is already on the grab lime share. There is no hope the IPC minister will conduct any inquiry in this regard, so all eyes are on Prime Minister and planning minister Chaudhry Ahsan Iqbal.
It is public taxpayers’ money and it must be spent in a free and transparent way. A committee should be formed in which all the stake holders including sports journalists should be given representation to ensure fair and transparent use of amount. It makes no sense of conducting the mega event in the name of father of the country to just mint money. All the stake holders must be taken on board, so no one may raise eye brows or raise questions. The tenders should be open in front of all the stake holders and only well-reputed firms and individuals must be hired, instead of accommodating the PSB and ministry officials.
The highly placed sources in the PSB have confirmed to this scribe that although dates were announced for the event, but they are yet to be finalized as all depends on Prime Minster's availability as the IPC minister wants to invite the PM at inaugural ceremony, while huge money will be spent on irrelevant things instead of spending directly on players. It is hoped the IPC minster and secretary will finally wake up and take notice of wrongdoings right under their noses. An immediate action is need of the hour.