KARACHI: The non-serious attitude of the Balochistan’s government regarding holding of the 33rd National Games seems to have forced Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) to take final input from the province’s chief minister before deciding the fate of the biennial spectacle.

“You know both Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have ample budget and they will face no issue in organising the spectacle,” the official said. The POA also intends to hold its meeting in the next few days to discuss the matter. “First of all we will hold a general meeting and then in the first week of March we will hold general council to discuss the issue and take a decision,” the official said.

A senior official of the POA told ‘Balochistan Express’ that they would contact Balochistan’s chief minister Jam Kamal Khan in the next few days. “Keeping in view the situation we have decided to contact the Balochistan chief minister for final input. If they are not ready then we will shift it to any other province,” the official said.

“Every time Balochistan’s sports secretary comes and tells us that the venues and other matters regarding the Games are ready but on ground nothing concrete is found,” the official conceded. The official also disclosed that despite so many issues the POA tried its level best to support Balochistan for hosting the Games due to provincial and national interests.

Soon after returning home Director General of Balochistan Sports Board (BSB) was transferred. Then secretary was also transferred that created a great vacuum. So far both these posts are vacant. According to sources, heavy monetary issues had been dealt with by the sports wing of the province during the last few years regarding preparation for the National Games so no one is interested to fill these seats due to fear of accountability in future.

This correspondent has learnt that more than two months would be required for the quality preparations.

“So far we even don’t know about the strength of the participants. It will take at least two and a half month to prepare for the competitions. Several matters are yet to be settled. Nothing is being done by the sports department because of the transfer of the key officials. We are in real predicament, not knowing what will happen,” a key organiser of the event said.

Last month, too, Balochistan sports secretary had conceded in the POA general council meeting in Lahore that the venues were ready. He had said that after negotiating monetary issues with the provincial government the POA would be invited for the inspection of the venues. The secretary had said that the venues had almost been made ready for the country’s most important competition.

In the past the Games were postponed several times due to security and financial issues.But sources said that now there were no funding issues, adding, it was the matter of the utilisation of the funds that has created issues in the sector responsible for making preparations for the slots.

Last time the Games had been held in Lahore in 2012. This time the event is scheduled in April this year. However if in April the Games could not be held due to some reason then it would be difficult to organise it this year as Ramadan-ul-Mubarak will begin in May, followed by summer.

At the end of this year POA plans to organise the First National Beach Games in Karachi. Around Rs 1000 million has been allocated for the Games by the Balochistan government. A tartan-track is also being installed at the Ayub Stadium, a major centre of the Games. But if the Games are held as per schedule in April then the same athletic facility could not be used as it is not possible to lay the track before the competitions. The work is yet to be started on the track.