05-Jul-2013
ISLAMABAD - Despite creating so much hype by the so-called well wishers of the sports, the National Games failed to give any relief whatsoever to athletes and it seemed the Games were organised just to divert the attention of media and others from the actual facts. The first things is that Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has allocated a huge amount to conduct the Games which was nothing but the sheer wastage of money and secondly, it was national and moral duty of interim committee to ensure free, fair and transparent utilization of funds in which the organisers failed miserably.
The athletes had to suffer from start to end as no one bothered to check sorry state of affairs of them as they were the ones who showcased their skills and attracted huge crowds and media attention, but they were left high and dry on the mercy of incompetent and highly irresponsible persons who had no previous knowledge of organising such high-profile Games in the past. The interim committee had not only wasted huge national wealth on these so-called Games but also brought bad name for the country as not only national media but international media persons were also deputed to cover the Games, but pathetic persons sitting at the helm of affairs at Pakistan Sports Board, failed to deliver and lived up to the expectations despite making tall claims.
The PSB had to justify the expenditures of whooping Rs30million amount, which they claimed to spend on renovation/maintenance of facilities at the complex. Such hefty amount by no means could be spent on only whitewashing the complex and that too gave a very ugly look as non-professional persons were hired to finish the job. The PSB had to provide all the details of the expenditures and where the amount was spent and how?Where the tall claims of Director General PSB has gone as on number of occasions, he invited media persons to visit the site and check themselves the entire renovation process.
The DG was highly upset with media persons and labeled serious allegations against them. Now the entire world has seen sorry state of affairs at the PSB. The filthy bathrooms, broken roofs, dirty seats, poor security situation spoke itself about the 'inefficiency' of the PSB which has otherwise an army of not only low grade employees but also had the luxury of having number of high paid officers and above all against even their own constitution two director generals are working who are free to waste huge national exchequer at their free will.
At one hand, the athletes were promised of Rs 600 dailies, but in reality, they were highly underpaid and instead of paying them for 12 days, they were given nine days’ dailies and to make things even worse, the agreed amount was not paid and unnecessary deductions were made and actually athletes took away around Rs 2,700 which forced them to stage protests for getting their rights. The organisers and their blue-eyed persons enjoyed all the benefits starting from lavish meals to extraordinary rented luxury vehicles gathered from different showrooms to bribe their near and dear ones.
Such was the alarming security situation that players, officials, media and common people were left at the mercy of terrorists, as there was hardly any check and balance on ordinary people entering the venue. Any mishap could have happen but thanks God that the organisers and people sitting in the PSB managed to get away from any major incident which could have spell disaster for the country, had any miscreant managed to sneak in.
The time is ripe government should conduct a high-level inquiry into misuse of funds, ill-planning and step-motherly treatment rendered to the athletes. Overall, it was a highly-flopped show which failed to attract even small numbers of spectators. The organisers failed miserably in all departments and now almost same people would be relishing to take the helm of affairs at the POA after conducting the elections today (Friday) resulting in further disaster for Pakistani sports in general and athletes in particular. |
