KARACHI: Pakistan have offered South Asian Athletics Federation (SAAF) in Maldives that it would hold an athletics event of the region in 2025.
“We offered them that Pakistan would host a SAAF level athletics event in 2025 and the representatives of all countries present in the meeting were very happy to hear this,” Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) secretary Mohammad Zafar told ‘The News’ on Friday after returning from Maldives.
Zafar in the SAAF general council meeting in Male was also elected as secretary general of the body.
The AFP president Major General (retd) Mohammad Akram Sahi was elected as SAAF chairman.
Sahi is also the vice-president of the Asian Athletics Association (AAA).
In the meeting the president and secretary general of the AAA were also present.
“Pakistan is passing through deep economic crisis and therefore we offered them that we could host a major regional event in 2025. It will be an added event and it will further boost Pakistan’s athletics. You know Pakistan is also set to host South Asian Games next year in which an athletic event will also be there,” Zafar said.
He said it’s great news that two Pakistanis were given key seats in the SAAF.
It is pertinent to mention here that Mohammad Zafar has replaced Col Zafar who was serving before him as the secretary of Asian Athletics Federation whose elections had been due since long.
Zafar said that it was decided that India would also host an event later this year (September-October) after the Asian Championship and World Championship.
He said that SAAF will try to develop athletics in the region.
“We also will try to build a financial mechanism so that this body could play an effective role in the development of athletics in the region. If we don’t take tough steps then we will lag behind in athletics in Asia and in the rest of the world,” Zafar said.
He said that Athletics Federation of India (AFI) wants good relations with Pakistan and the Asian Athletics Federationplatform can be used in bringing both Pakistan and India together in athletics.
Zafar said that their camp, featuring javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, sprinter Shajar Abbas and a couple of others, is in progress in Lahore.
“We have told the government that it should not stop our camp as it could create problems for us keeping in view some major events in the annual calendar which includes the Asian Championship, World Championship and Asian Games,” Zafar said.
“We are also working on the project relating to sending Arshad Nadeem to Germany for training and Pakistan’s ambassador in Germany Dr Faisal is doing a good job to finalise the things,” he said.
“We are also seeking some sponsors so that we could send Arshad to Germany for training ahead of the major events. The German coach is also eager and wants Arshad there as soon as possible,” Zafar said.
Alam Zeb Safi Alam Zeb Safi is a senior reporter for The News