ISLAMABAD – At a time when lot of hue and cry is going on regardingpossible closure of sports departments in commercial organisations,Pakistan army sports directorate has embarked upon a talent hunt programmewith an eye on the future.
This came to fore when director sports of army, Brig Zaheer Akhtar for thefirst time paid a visit to the Gulshan-e-Iqbal’s Karachi Hockey Association(KHA) Olympian Hanif Khan and Dr. Junaid Ali Shah Hockey Stadium the otherday and watched young boys and girls in action.
It is pertinent to mention that army’s contribution to country’s sports isunparalleled as its athletes have won numerous laurels since independencebesides keeping its stranglehold on the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy of the NationalGame.
Addressing the players the army sports chief disclosed salient features ofthe programme which includes providing education in addition to sharpeningtheir skills and paying stipends.Brig Zaheer emphasised upon the players to work hard and urged them to setgoals of representing the country internationally.
To be conducted nationwide in all disciplines, it will have a special focuson hockey because of its deteriorating standards.
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Elaborating about the programme he said it envisaged two categories — 12 to16 years educate and train a child to become a player and 17 to 22 yearsselect player to play for department.
He presented Rs50,000 apiece for disbursement among boys and girls. FormerOlympian Hanif Khan and secretary KHA Syed Haider Hussain briefed the armysports chief about the activities that they have conducted during the lastthree years.—Agencies
