Lahore's Sports Sciences Women Club President Professor Dr Shahida Haider has announced that the 26-player squad for the third National Women Soccer Championship beginning on August 16 at Islamabad's Jinnah Stadium.
Punjab University Women Sports Wing's teachers and students have formed the team and hired the services of Pakistan Olympic team's head coach, Muhammad Rasheed. Club Media Manager Salma Shaukat said nine players would be deducted from the squad 48 hours before the opening ceremony as the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has asked all participants to bring 20-member squads (three officials, 17 players) to be accommodated at the Pakistan Sports Board's Hostels.
"It will be the first appearance of our team in the event and we thank PFF's President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat for giving us the berth in the country's premier annual women soccer show. We are also lucky to have sport-loving lady Shahida Haider, wife of Federal Minister for Sports and Culture Mian Shamim Haider, as our club's president.
She, despite her tough assignments and daily hectic work, is providing us full facilities and used to visit the camp at Punjab University to see our progress," said Salma, a gold medallist with Punjab as player in the first-ever National Soccer Championship two years ago.