Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA) Chief Executive Officer Ashiq Hussain Qureshi has called for evolving long-term planning to promote sports at grass roots level to check continuous downward slide in different games.
Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, he said: "There is no dearth of talent in Pakistan. What was needed to wage collective efforts for the promotion of sports. If Pakistan wants to thrive in international cricket arena, only total committed persons will be needed. Unfortunately, there is no job description, accountability and Standing Operation Procedure (SOP) in various sports bodies here in Pakistan."
According to him, there had been an unchecked downward slide in Pakistani's sport and unless concerted efforts were taken the situation would plunge to abysmal depths. Ashiq Qureshi said: "The reasons for PVCA's success in mobilising indigenous resources to meet running costs of our tournaments as well as supporting our development goals has been our ability to develop a vision. By developing a nation-wide network of such resource personnel and a broader vision to utilise the collective strengths of such individuals PVCA has embarked on an ambitious community agenda which we hope will extend our outreach beyond the realms of sport into community empowerment."
About the 13th National Seniors Cricket Cup, he said Lahore Whites will defend the title, having won 12th edition of National Seniors Cup for the sixth time beating Karachi Reds last April. On the occasion, PVCA and Akhuwat joined hands for providing interest free micro credit to the poor.
"Our mission is to alleviate poverty by empowering socially and economically marginalised families through interest free microfinance and by harnessing entrepreneurial potential, capacity building and social guidance. We will use PVCA platform to perform our goal on the sideline of cricket match," said Akhuwat's Executive Director Dr Amjad Saqib. LCCA's President Khawaja Nadeem Ahmed said: "In a short period of eight years what Dr Amjad Saqib and his colleagues have achieved is incredible and a full reinforcement of the assumption that there is tremendous potential in people.