HYDERABAD: Central office-bearers of the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) on Tuesday deplored the fact that boxers who bring laurels to the country are not given the due respect they deserve and added that the government also tends to ignore the game.
Speaking at a news conference at the press club, PBF secretary general Akram Khan and vice-president Iqbal Hussain said that a Pakistan level boxing event would be organised in Hussainabad, Hyderabad to pay tribute to local boxer Syed Hyder Ali Shah, who died while fighting in a tournament held to celebrate Independence Day last year.
They disclosed that the late boxer was the nephew of Olympian Asghar Ali Shah and the family is well known for producing many a fine boxer.
They lamented the fact that boxing is not given its due attention at government level though rich talent is available while pointing out that other games like cricket have always remained government’s top priority.
“But such is the attitude of government that no one so far has yet visited the late boxer’s family to offer condolences,” they commemted.
They further stated that PBF had decided to organise an All-Pakistan Syed Hyder Ali Shah Memorial Youth boxing tournament in Hyderabad to pay tribute to him.
They went on to inform the media that the government didn’t offer any help to late boxer’s family and that even the expenses of the tournament amounting to Rs0.5 million would be borne by the federation itself.
Hyderabad had produced boxers like Asghar Al Shah, Rasheed Baloch, Syed Basharat Ali Shah, Qamar Ali Arain, Syed Zakir Hussain, Afzal Kambrani and others.
They said that boxing won one gold, one silver and two bronze medals in the recently held South Asian Games in Dhaka.
They appreciated the fact that South Asia’s fastest woman Naseem Hameed had been welcomed in Karachi while speaking out in support of other winners of different events
“I urge the president to invite all those 19 gold medallists of South Asian games and a resolution should be adopted in National Assembly to pay tribute to them. It will really boost their morale,” said Iqbal Hussain adding that it would help them excel in Asian and Commonwealth games.
“I also request Speaker Dr. Fahmida Mirza to invite these gold medallists to National Assembly the way Pakistan cricket team was invited after winning the T20 World Cup as it will really encourage them,” Hussain added.
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