KARACHI - Pakistan Army known as the powerhouse of sports in Pakistan since the mergence of the country has ended as the biggest loser by abstaining from the 32nd National Games which is half way through at Lahore.
Who ever in the sports hierarchy of Pakistan Army allowed the Army Sports Directorate to boycott the National Games was not properly apprised of the consequences that accrue as a result of its decision not to participate in the games.
Pakistan Army by abstaining from the games on what some had alleged political reasons had only lowered the image of the founding father of the country who had opened the first games in Karachi in 1948 at the former Polo Ground behind then Governor General House.
If Pakistan Army sports hierarchy had any reason to challenge the legality of the Games or its organisers they could have done even after participating in the games. Who ever had advised the boycott had only put the Pakistani Army and Army Sports Board in poor light.
There have been moments in the past 65 years when a number of major and minor illegalities were committed by the then POA or the organisers of the National Games but Pakistan Army played cool and stayed clear of all politics in sports and avoided them because they had to uphold their reputation and prestige and remain focused on winning the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy given to a contingent for overall good performance and huge number of gold that their athletes won in various disciplines.
Pakistan Army also lost the prize which it unusually bags being the smartest dressed contingent at the opening ceremony of the games. Army has almost totally dominated winning the prestigious overall team trophy named after the father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam M Ali Jinnah. No one other than Army has won the trophy highest number of times in the history of the Games .
However in the absence of the Army the Trophy would certainly to go to some one participating in the Games.
Wapda look all set to clinch the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy without being challenged from others now participating in the games.
Traditionally Pakistan Army has always dominated the track and field event and also in the pool and rifle shooting where they won large number of medals. In their absence Wapda would grab maximum gold medals in athletics. Even in the swimming pool where Pakistan Army scooped more gold than any other participants Wapda is expected to do well both in the pool and at the shooting range.
Wapda sports department played smart when they got the hint that Army, Navy and Pakistan Air force were boycotting the games for political reasons. Wapda saw a big opportunity to win record number of gold medals and all other awards that Pakistan Army usually won in the past and create a national record that may never ever be challenged. Pakistan Army's absence had already started to benefit those who were wise enough to appear in the games despite all the so called controversies because it was their chance to win which they can never dream of in the presence of Army. Absence of Army is already allowing other teams to reap a rich harvest of gold.
In the rifle shooting event in which Army had always excelled and only challenged by Navy, shooters of other teams who had not won a medal would win gold because the soldiers and sailors were not shooting.
The National Games shooting events are being held at Gun & Country Club shooting Ranges.
Some of the results of various events in rifle shooting will show how teams have been rewarded in the absence of Pakistan Army.
50M Prone Rifle (Men)
Individual positions
M. Akhtar of Wapda scored 569 with hold
Waseem Sajad of Wapda scored 566 with silver
Abdullah Iraqi of Sindh scored 565 with bronze
Team Position
Wapda 1672 Gold; HEC 1507 Silver; Sindh 1066 Bronze
Sports Pistol (Women) Individual Positions
Mishel Munir of Punjab (Gold); Arooj of HEC (Silver); Sadaf of HEC (Bronze)
10M Air Pistol (Men) Team Position
HEC (Gold); Federal Areas (Silver); Wapda (Bronze)
Individual Positions
Bilal of HEC (Gold); M Abbas of Wapda (Silver); Tariq Manzoor if Federal Areas (Bronze)
Skeet Team Position
Sindh (Gold)’ Punjab (Silver); KPK (Bronze)
Individual Positions
Usman Chand of Punjab (Gold); Ameen Karamat of Sindh (Silver); Ahmed Sultan of Sindh (Bronze)