Pakistan Boxing needs SOS financial assistance

Karachi: Pakistan Boxing Federation has face to acute financial crises after holding Shaheed Bhutto inter national boxing tournament and Federation need SOS emergency basis financial assistance from Pakistan government expressed president of Pakistan Boxing Federation in a press conference which was be held on Friday at Hotel Mehran Karachi

Vice president of PBF Mr. Iqbal Hussain, General Secretary Muhammad Akram Khan, Chairman R/J commission Ali Akber Shah Qadri and other officials were also presence on this occasion.

We were waiting for completing whole promises given us from the government of Pakistan and the Sindh provincial government Prime minister of Pakistan was given us only 3.3 million rupees and our tournament budget around 7 million rupees and while the rest of the money from any found

Media give us too much support during Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Tournament and country get international reception from it, we greatly thankful to all media friends for encouraging cooperation


PBF want also pay thanks to federal sports minister Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, federal minister inter-provisional coordination Pir Syed Aftab Shah Jilani, and federal secretary
Sports Anis-ul-Hasnain, president POA lt. Gen. ® Arif Hassan, Police, Rangers, Traffic Police, federal interior Ministry and federal foregone ministry and we were getting a big success for own country.

But City District and provisional government don’t support us event any provisional, federal minister and local government City Nazim, Town Nazims and councilors was not visited there this is was very disappointed us we work for country and we don’t have personal agenda but rolling party of Benazir hurt us and they failed in national duty.

PBF president say our team will participate in South Asian Games and we have invitation for commonwealth boxing championship in March, King’s Cup International Boxing in Thailand and Asian games at China in November this year but we don’t decided till now for sending its team because financial problem’s if government its not resolve so our boxers will suffer in international arena.

General Secretary of Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) say South Asian Games organizers suddenly has been changed boxing category and they has mad new six categories in 48kg, 51kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg and 64 kg our three heavy boxers affected from this decision so Pakistan has been lost Nisar Khan (75kg), Yasir Javed (91kg) and Mir Waiz Khan in 91 plus category he was the gold medalist in last edition of south Asian games in Colombo 2006

He says we lodge strong protest in front of Organizers and Pakistan Olympic Association also now our preparation and medal hope may will affected now we has sent six fresh entries Nadir Baloch (48kg), Mohammad Waseem (51kg), Niamat Ullah (54kg), Abid Ali (57kg), Adnan Hussain (64kg) and Amir Khan (64kg)

Nadir Baloch and Adnan Hussain inter two new name in previous announced team and both showing good performance and won the silver medals in recently concluded Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Tournament

PBF plan another international Boxing Tournament in july

PPI

Karachi, Notwithstanding low performance from Pakistani pugilists in recently concluded Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Tournament, Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) has been widely acclaimed from all corners of the country for successfully holding of an international event.

The international sporting activities that has almost vacated the country, made a brilliant comeback in the form of eventful SBBIBT in which 24 nations participated. The only Pakistani Olympic medalist in boxing, Hussain Shah was called from Japan to attend the tournament. Hussain said that he appreciates PBF efforts for holding this event. Hussain won bronze medal in 1988 Seoul Olympics. Later, legendary boxing maestro Amir Khan, the UK based light welter weight world champion increased the glamour of the tournament by arriving here with his family to attend the closing ceremony of the tournament.

"There is a huge talent in Pakistan and I foresee boxing becoming a big sports here too under people like Doda Khan and Akram Khan," he said during his visit to the tournament. Moreover, nine African boxers revert to Islam during the tournament after getting inspired by the Muslims here. Pakistani boxers didn't really achieved some worthy milestone as they didn't even ended in top three teams of the event in spite two o its team featured in the event. China, Syria and Thailand reached the podium respectively occupying the positions.

Pakistan clinched only one gold medal out of eleven. Mohib Bacha was the gold medalist of the tournament for the hosts. The result shows that Pakistani boxers have to do a lot to make their impact felt in the international arena but regular of holding of such events would definitely uplift the game of boxing. "We organized this tournament only through our determinations and we had all the odds against us. However, we succeed to hold the international tournament and hopefully in future it would be
comparatively easier to hold such a tournament," PBF President Doda Khan Bhutto said.

"We are working for another international tournament in July after the success of this tournament. We have to start from scratch to hold an international event after the unfortunate and unpopular incident of deadly attack on Sri Lankan cricket team here in Pakistan last year. "Nobody was ready to come here and everybody here also doubted the holding of such an event. Many high-ups in government offices even ridiculed us. But by the grace of Allah we were successful in holding the tournament," PBF secretary Akram Khan said.

"It was a big event but unfortunately the people in the government failed to create hype of the tournament. They should have visited the tournament much often so that it could have gained more publicity," he added. He further said that the sponsors were reluctant to indulge with us because of lack of support from the government. "They also doubted that such an event could be held and therefore didn't come forward to sponsor us," Akram said. He further said that the same thing would not happen next time hopefully and they would be able to bring sponsors in for the tournament in July.

He said that international tournaments at home are very important for uplifting boxing in the country. "When the youth here see boxers playing and achieving glorious victories, they create a charm for the game in them. Moreover, more boxers could be featured in the events at home as we did during SBBIBT. They get exposure against international pugilists. If we had featured these 22 boxers in an international tournament somewhere else then they couldn't have achieved anything.

"Playing international tournaments away from home are also very important and infact are more valued but we could not groom boxers in abundance by only featuring in tournaments away from home. In the past PBF would sent only the same four or five top performing boxers to international events and Pakistan boxing would revolve around them. But when those boxers past their age, we had no other boxers on hand to be featured in international events. It was a big blow for boxing but now we are working almost from grass root level and hopefully would be able to achieve some worthy milestone soon," Akram said.

He said that tournaments like SBBIBT should regularly be held atleast twice a year for uplifting the level of local boxers and boxing as a whole in the country. ''The boxers' achievement in the tournament was good but not excellent. We had atleast won three golds. We still have to go along way.'' He further said that the SBBIBT tournament was not given popularity as it should have been given. "We should have been supported and commended from all sports circle as we succeeded in holding a sports event in which 24 nations participated. Exploiting the name of this tournament, other federations could also convince other nations to come and play here in Pakistan so that the sense of instability could be removed."