Peshawar - Vice-President Pakistan Squash Federation and President KP Squash Association Qamar Zaman on Sunday said that Senior Vice President Pakistan Olympic Association Syed Aqil Shah was trying his best to get the rights of hosting four to five events of the forthcoming South Asian Games in Pakistan next year including squash.

The former squash world champion lauded former KP sports minister and President KP Olympic Association Syed Aqil Shah for his efforts and request made to President Pakistan Olympic Association Lt Gen (Retd) Arif Hassan to give four to five games hosting right to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said after meeting with President POA, Syed Aqil Shah was very optimistic about hosting four, five events of the South Asian Games. He said it would also help the youth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to see top players in action and learn good things from them. 

He said the city of Peshawar attained good ratings as it had recently organised the best-ever 33rd National Games apart from National Games in 2010 in Peshawar. These games had been declared as the best among so far organised in other provinces, he said.

“It is a very good initiative and I am sure that Syed Aqil Shah will succeed in his endeavours,” Qamar Zaman said, adding, “At the same time, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has assured him of full cooperation.”  Prime Minister Imran Khan has also directed for preparations for holding South Asian Games to the Pakistan Olympic Association and Pakistan Sports Board. He said that earlier the most successful national and provincial games had been held in Peshawar, which were also declared as the best games of Pakistan, and if we still get events in the South Asian Games, they will also be organised in the best way. 

Qamar Zaman said the KP government was taking all possible steps for the promotion and development of sports under the leadership and direction of Chief Minister Mahmood Khan sports budget touched four to five billion.

He also lauded Prime Minister Imran Khan’s 1000 Playground Project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on which currently work on more than 206 projects continued across the province including merged tribal areas. 

In response to a question, Qamar Zaman said that a Four Glass Wall Squash Complex had been constructed at the University of Peshawar with only glass walls remaining for which more funds were needed for its completion so that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was able to host international squash events in Peshawar.

He said, soon after completion of the four-glass wall squash complex, having capacity for more than 500 spectators with modern-day facilities, he would host an Asian Universities Squash Championship and also the World Universities Squash Championship. About the current situation of squash players, Qamar Zaman said that we had to work day and night to regain the lost glories in squash, as without hard work we could not achieve our goals.