Major cities of Sindh provinces, especially Karachi, have never been given the due status by the sports authorities in the country. Be it cricket, hockey and football, all games are headquartered in Lahore.
While the local administrations of Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana and Mirpurkhas failed to promote activities in their respective districts, and the pathetic attitude of even the Sindh government towards developing basic infrastructure needed for the promotion of sports, particularly the game of the masses, football.
Look at the miserable conditions of Karachi's Peoples Stadium, Hyderabad's Niaz Stadium, Sukkur Municipal Stadium and Mirpurkhas' Gama Stadium. The stadia exist even today, but not for sports.
For the first time in may years, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) and has planned to give Karachi its due status and approached the Sindh government to allot a piece of land to the PFF for its Goal Project-II, funded by the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), but the dilly-delaying tactics of the Sindh government functionaries have compelled the PFF to award the project to Peshawar.
Anyhow, sanity prevailed and Sindh Chief Minister Dr Ghulam Arbab Rahim, realising the importance of the project awarded by the FIFA, through the PFF, agreed to allot a 10-acre land in Trans-Lyari Park, Manghopir Road in Site Town.
The Goal Project-I remained in doldrums during the days of previous PFF management, but Syed Faisal Hayat, soon after taking over as PFF President in 2003, took interest in the execution of not only the Goal Project-I but also the Football House, which will serve as a basic institution to help promote the soccer on modern lines.
Karachi's Goal Project will be established at Old Golimar, a congested settlement in Karachi, known as soccer bowl of the country. The other two sites proposed for the project were Taiser Town (Scheme-45) and Hawkes Bay Housing Scheme, but Trans-Lyari Park, the home of ancient Makran Sports Football Club, is considered best as it is situated in the heart of the provincial metropolis.
More fifa projects
Both FIFA President Sepp Blatter and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Mohamed bin Hammam, who are taking keen interest in the promotion of the game in this part of the world, have promised to approve some more projects in Pakistan, especially in Karachi.
To study the feasibility of these projects, FIFA Development Manager in Asia and Oceania David Borja and FIFA Goal Project Development Officer Vernon Manilal Fernando met the PFF officials for finalisation of Karachi project. Originally, the Goal Project-I was to be constructed in Karachi, but security problems and non-availability of land forced the PFF to convince the FIFA, AFC to shift the project to Lahore.
Manilal rated Lahore's FIFA Football House among the best in the world whose foundation-stone was laid by AFC President Mohamed bin Hammam on January 8, 2004, and the project was completed early this year. With the completion of FIFA Football House-a part of FIFA Goal Project-I, near Punjab Stadium, Pakistan football will enter a new era of soccer activities.
The FIFA Football House provides a full-fledged PFF Secretariat, which was expected to be formally inaugurated by the FIFA President after Eid-ul-Fitr. But due to dental surgery, Sepp Blatter has postponed his visit to Pakistan. He is now expected in Lahore early next year -- to be specific between January and March.
According to the game organisers, the FIFA President's visit will be big boost for Pakistani soccer as millions of eyes will turn their attention on soccer of Pakistan. Those who mattered in the previous PFF management never bothered to provide basic facilities to the country's promising bunch of talent. The condition so pathetic that even FIFA coach John Layton, before leaving for Birmingham on December 14, 2002 on the conclusion of his assignment, said since favouritism, nepotism, non-professional approach to the game prevailed over merit, one could not hope for betterment of the game.
The FIFA and AFC have provided not only funds, but also extended technical support to the PFF, but the power hungry officials did not help the cause of the game.
PROFESSIONALISM: Unlike the past, things are changing fast in the PFF and during the last over two years PFF leadership, its President Faisal Saleh Hayat and Secretary Arshad Khan Lodhi are striving to introduce professionalism in the game.
The provincial associations are being involved in policy matters and indications are that soccer governing body is being run in a systematic manner, testimony of which is holding of women football championships, including the ongoing National Football Championship, series of football matches against India and hiring of some Pakistan origin professional footballers from England for Test series against India. With the success of recent events, including Pakistan's victory in the Under-23 South Asian Games, generated heat among young footballers. Now it is believed the PFF has also chalked out plans to start national league, providing the players to play some 40 to 50 matches in a year.
KARACHI'S SHARE: As regards Karachi, one must recall that in the past Karachi, especially football-crazy Lyari was shabbily treated by the PFF leadership, and as a result, the Lyari youth took to drugs and other crimes. Now the present PFF leadership is believed to have decided to give Karachi its due share in the game of the masses.
The Goal Post project is the start of a comprehensive programme aimed at revival of soccer activities in Karachi. While the PFF has taken a lead in this direction, it is hoped the Provincial government and City District Government Karachi (CDGK) will come forward to make the PFF programme a success. Not only this, it is the duty of the Provincial Sports Ministry to involve local city district governments in the development of playgrounds, now in pathetic conditions in almost every city of the province and provide basic infrastructure to the football talent.
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