The Pakistan Football Federation and the state government of Sindh are making an "all out' effort to ensure the South Asian Football Federation Football Championship 2005 is a success. "We got the honor of staging South Asia’s showpiece soccer events because we are doing our efforts with sincerity and full devotion to take Pakistani soccer into a reputable berth," PFF secretary general, Muhammad Arshad Khan Lodhi, told media.
He was speaking after a discussion with Sindh Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Qamar Mansoor on matters related to the eight-nation biennial event which commences in Karachi with Pakistan's clash with Sri Lanka on 7 December 2005. The final will be held on 17 December.
The minister said his government wants football to be the number one game in Sindh: "We are looking [for] sensible referees [and] coaches from the PFF so that our new talented players can learn [the] latest development in soccer ..." He also asked PFF to approve an annual Karachi Cup International Football Tournament, to be organised jointly by the state government and Sindh FA.
"Our all four provincial associations are also showing their guts. We will leave no stone unturned for the promotion of soccer and it is our aim to put Pakistani soccer on the same level as that of cricket and hockey," Mr Lodhi added.
He was speaking after a discussion with Sindh Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Qamar Mansoor on matters related to the eight-nation biennial event which commences in Karachi with Pakistan's clash with Sri Lanka on 7 December 2005. The final will be held on 17 December.
The minister said his government wants football to be the number one game in Sindh: "We are looking [for] sensible referees [and] coaches from the PFF so that our new talented players can learn [the] latest development in soccer ..." He also asked PFF to approve an annual Karachi Cup International Football Tournament, to be organised jointly by the state government and Sindh FA.
"Our all four provincial associations are also showing their guts. We will leave no stone unturned for the promotion of soccer and it is our aim to put Pakistani soccer on the same level as that of cricket and hockey," Mr Lodhi added.