Pak football officials seek cooperation from Bahrain

Visiting Pakistani football team officials have called for strong and long-lasting cooperation from the Pakistan community and the Bahraini authorities to keep the football game alive in KPK as the game is going through a very critical phase.

Malik Ejaz, a high official in Pakistan police who is part of the visiting officials, told DT News yesterday that though the Malik Saad Sports Trust had the Chief Minister’s support, its financial condition was bad and contributions could stop very soon.

“Through your newspaper, we want to seek co-operation from the well-off Pakistani community members. We don’t mean monetary backing, but infrastructural support like game equipment,” he said.

Named after Deputy Inspector General police who was martyred in a suicide attack, the Malik Saad Sports Trust is conducting 288 games in different districts including football, hockey, cricket, volleyball, table tennis and badminton etc.

The trust provides game equipment to players from poor economic conditions. There are players from police department too. Seeking cooperation from like-minded people to carry on the activities of the trust, Ejaz said: “We don’t want this to wind up after one or two years, we want this to run on a permanent basis and without cooperation, it can not go along in the long run.”

He even offered air tickets and accommodation from Bahrain to those who wanted to get a first-hand account of the trust’s activities and then donate for its welfare. The Pakistan Embassy yesterday arranged a reception for the visiting football team on the Embassy premises, where Head of Chancery Muhammad Ahad distributed prizes to the players.

Speaking at the occasion, Ahad said that the Pakistani team going back after clean-sweeping the series of three matches with its Bahraini counterparts was a matter of pride. “It is really great to see the Pakistani football players winning thousands of miles away from our homeland,” he said.

Chief Mission of Malik Saad Trust football team from KPK Pakistan Said Mehmood said they had brought to Bahrain the message of peace and love from Pakistan. “We have made our players the ambassadors of peace and we will continue sending the peace ambassadors to all over the,” he says.

He congratulated the Pakistan Embassy and the Pakistan community, especially Muhammad Khan Tanoli, for their wide love and support during their visit. He said that he would always remember their hospitality and cooperation and for that matter he was thankful to them all.

After its week-long visit, the KPK football team will leave for Pakistan today after winning the matches with Riffa Club, Shadab Club and Tadhaman Club.