LAHORE - Pakistan Navy Station Commander Punjab Commodore Akbar Naqi has said Navy is keen to support every sport and holding the CNS Golf Championship for the third successive year adds another feather to its cap.
In an exclusive interview with The Nation, Akbar Naqi said: “The vision of Pakistan Navy is to promote every sport. Navy yachting team has won Asian medals while our jawans are part of the national football team, hockey team and they also participate in national and international sports events which shows that Navy wants to promote sports at the highest level.”
He said Navy was the sponsor of this prestigious championship and maintained and sought to enhance its association with sports promotion and development. “As we organised the last event in a befitting manner which was participated by a large number of amateur golfers from across the country with zeal and zest, I hope this event too will be one of the bets.”
Replying a query, he said: “Whatever I have been doing for the promotion of golf is a team work which is a key to success. I hope the team work will help us making the event a success. The efforts, which have been put in by entire Royal Palm team which included Umer Mir, Col (r) Jameed Khalid and Khawaja Pervaiz, are really commendable and are more than enough to make the event a success.”
He added there was no dearth of golf talent in the country but the dire need of the hour was to provide the golfers maximum healthy activities to groom them and prepare them for national and international events.
“I am a sportsman and I was in Pakistan swimming team before joining the Navy so I know what the requirements of sportsmen are. I am not a good golfer but personally I love to see golfers in action. It’s true that Pakistan golf has not such a status to compete against best golfing players and nations but I want every child and individual should play sports whether it is golf, football, cricket or any other but all must involve themselves in healthy sporting activities,” he asserted.
“Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Asif Sandila is a source of encouragement and inspiration and his endorsement of this championship makes it possible to make it an event of significance and immense importance on the national amateur golf circuit,” he said.
“The chief of naval staff is not only a spirited sportsman but also a good golfer. He is very passionate about this game and love to play golf alongside top golfers whenever he gets a chance. In the last event which he attended as a chief guest, he not only encouraged the golfers but also showed some glimpses of golf,”
Akbar Naqi concluded.