LAHORE: The Ministry of Inter-provincial Coordination and the Pakistan Olympic Association reestablished contact on Tuesday regarding the South Asian Games organization. During their meeting at the Olympic House, it was decided that Lahore would serve as the primary hub for the regional sporting event.
The government and the POA couldn’t agree on venue allocation, which caused the 14th edition of the Games to be postponed last year.
The POA supported setting up the primary hub in Lahore, with activities also taking place in Sialkot, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, and Islamabad. However, the IPC ministry, which was led by Fehmida Mirza at the time, chose to build up the hub in Islamabad.
Fortunately for Pakistan, the South Asian Olympic Council chose to extend the deadline for POA rather than moving the Games to another nation, despite the ongoing dispute over the venue preventing any cash from being issued.
It is probable that significant steps will be taken for the holding of the Games with the meeting of the POA and the IPC ministry following the assumption of office by the newly elected government.
“A news release from the Pakistan Olympic Association said that a coordination meeting between the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination and the Pakistan Olympic Association was held here in Lahore today at Pakistan Olympic House, Lahore.”
“In this high-level meeting, the Federal Secretary and Additional Secretary of the IPC were cordially received by Syed Mohammad Abid Qadri Gillani, President of the Pakistan Olympic Association.
“The main goal of this meeting was to carefully organize and schedule the several competitions that will be held during the 14th South Asian Games in Pakistan, making sure that everything goes smoothly and successfully. The attendees were given an update by President POA regarding the proactive measures taken by the POA. The meeting with all National Sports Federations (NSFs) was held on March 9, 2024, at POA House in Lahore.
“Effective planning and execution of the competitions for every sport featured in the 14th South Asian Games was the goal of the officials.”
The representatives from the IPC received a thorough briefing from the Secretary-General of the POA. This briefing included an extensive presentation that covered every aspect of the Games’ operations and logistics, including scheduling, financial administration, sports disciplines, venue allocations, and other incidental issues.
The need for frequent coordination meetings to guarantee the preparation and facilitation needed for the spectacular staging of the 14th South Asian Games was agreed upon. It was decided that the Punjabi government would play a crucial role as key players in the organization and implementation of the Games, since Lahore is the primary location for most of the activities.
Since many fans from across the border regularly visit a shrine in Narowal, POA’s proposal to include Sialkot among the locations was motivated by the anticipation that followers in Indian Punjab will be able to travel to Pakistan. Indian sports lovers would be able to attend the Games as well, since Lahore is located near the border with Wagah.
