Johar Sports Complex a gift of Punjab government to people of Lahore

Lahore: The Sports Board Punjab in light of the Supreme and High Court decisions regarding the implementation of the National Sports Policy, cannot associate itself with the hosts of the National Games, the Punjab Olympics Association. There is a legal ambiguity on the status of the Punjab Olympics Association so the Punjab government cannot extend any support until certain legal issues are clear.

Addressing a press conference here at the conference hall of the National Hockey Stadium, Rana Mashood Ahmed Khan, deputy speaker and chief organizer sports, said that they have asked the Punjab Olympics Association to postpone the games until January and let them seek the legal opinion from the law secretary and the attorney general so that the Games are conducted in a befitting manner. Usman Anwar, Director General Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab was also present on the occasion.
“It would have been a much better organized event even would have been bigger than the Punjab Youth Festival. But legally there is no legitimate status of several sports bodies.
The Punjab Olympics Association did not have any legal authority in the organization of the holding of the 32 National Games in wake of the Supreme Court order regarding the implementation of the National Sports Policy.
“Legally it cannot not be called the National Games and we have sought legal opinion but till then they should not hold the games and let the thing have a clear picture.
“There status is dubious because several of the federations and even the armed forces are not taking part in the games,” he said adding, Athletic, Basketball, Badminton Cycling, Gymnastic, Judo, Kabbadi, Netball Federations and the Islamabad Olympic Association have stayed away from the games “.

He further said that the Pakistan Sports Board has also reservations on the legality of the associations holding the National Games
“We requested not to announce date as yet and push it to January. It would have been a better event that the recent festival.
“We have always kept the rule of law supreme. We were ready to extend all out support but in the wake of the Supreme Court decisions we need to have legal status.
“We even planned to hold 16 remaining World Records during the National Games but the Olympics Association is showing stubbornness,” he maintained.
“Punjab Government under the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif is taking every possible measure for the overall development of sports and sports structure. Sports are being revived through a number of landmark activities including Punjab Youth Festival and most significantly Punjab International Sports Festival,” he added.

“Never before such number of sports events and activities were carried out and so far events organized have set new benchmarks in the history of sports besides portraying a soft image of the country in the prevailing situation.

“We even asked them to make the National Games part of the Festival but they are continuously showing stubbornness,” he said.

“The impression being given that SBP is reluctant to lend support is a baseless propaganda and a negative campaign against an institution whose services are known to everyone. “But we should not violate the law. It should be kept supreme,” he said.