Daily Times

Sports fans in Pakistan have had three phenomenal days to revel in, namely, Pakistan Super League (PSL) final in Lahore, Pakistan’s historic win against India in the ICC Champions Trophy final and arrival of soccer legends to play exhibition matches. Pakistan is a sport-starved country and Pakistanis are dying to witness international sporting festivities in the country. In March 2009 when Sri Lankan cricket team was ambushed, I assumed some concerted and laudable efforts would be made to resuscitate the trust of global sportsmen in visiting Pakistan. I personally bore the brunt of stalled sporting activities in the country and always kept a close eye, with bated breath, on prospects of revival of sporting culture. But authorities were very swift to burst my bubble through their proverbial apathy and entrenched inertia which triggered the implosion of sport structure in the country.

Political talk shows took over as the vacuum fillers while sport fanatics felt betrayed and abandoned. International sports events came to a grinding halt leaving fans distraught and humiliated after being groundlessly jeered at by the rival countries like India and Bangladesh for not being able to host foreign teams. Sports federations had to pay biggest price in depleted pool of young talent because you cant entice youth into sports without offering them the opportunity to witness their heroes in action against international teams in front of their eyes.

National sports federations are verging on bankruptcy and are in desperate need of international matches at Pakistani grounds to generate precious revenue in order to keep these organisations rolling. We haven’t witnessed some judicious attempts for that matter; merely few and far between incoherent efforts to hold certain events but not much to jump and shout about. Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat from time to time invited foreign teams to play in Pakistan in the face of most tumultuous and hazardous law and order situation in the country. The PCB hierarchy literally went from pillar to post in quest of foreign teams willing to visit Pakistan but remained empty handed barring Kenya and Zimbabwe, nevertheless couldn’t avail themselves on these tours to pave the way for the resumption of international cricket in Pakistan. On other hand, the Pakistan Tennis Federation could manage just one event – Pakistan vs Iran Davis Cup tie in Islamabad in 10 years or so. Meanwhile, volleyball, once Pakistan’s most played game, has been consigned to oblivion.

Leisure Leagues Pakistan did a remarkable job when they hosted likes of Ronaldinho, Ryan Giggs, David James, Robert Pires and Nicolas Anelka to play couple of soccer matches in Karachi and Lahore. On one hand its a monumental accomplishment for a private organisation on the other it’s a matter of great shame for both – the federal government and the PCB who despite their resourcefulness couldn’t come up with something even half of that amplitude. The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is in dire straits, financially, and is solely dependent on government grants. Its management must step forward and take the initiative to invite foreign teams in the backdrop of Leisure Leagues success. The PCB must not host Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates this October and try to persuade them to play in Pakistan. The PFF must get depoliticized forthwith so that the moratorium on Pakistan team be lifted and they should be allowed to play and host international matches at home.

Published in Daily Times, July 16^th , 2017.