KARACHI: The second Shaheed Benazir Bhutto international boxing tournament is set to take place in Islamabad from July 20 to 27, it was announced here on Tuesday.
“Following the success of the inaugural edition held here in January last year, the government has accorded necessary permission in this regard,” Doda Khan Bhutto, president of the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) told Dawn.
He said the PBF would soon dispatch invitations to countries across the world assuring them of extending foolproof security during their stay here.
Bhutto, who was nominated vice-chairman of Youth and Athletes Commission of the world’s governing body AIBA, stated that approximately 200 pugilists from 24 countries besides delegates from six nations featured in the inaugural contest.
“It is an AIBA approved tournament,” he added.
The PBF chief disclosed that he had set a precedent when the Auditor General of Pakistan conducted audit of the inaugural Shaheed Benazir Bhutto boxing tournament to maintain transparency of approximately Rs42.5 million incurred on the event with the support of the prime minister.
“Consistent efforts has brought fruitful results for Pakistan boxing which came on the track following turmoil in the aftermath of electoral loss of AIBA chief Prof Anwar Chowdhury,” he added while recalling his two-and-a-half year stint since coming at the helm of affairs in December 2008.
Bhutto, 30, the youngest ever president of a sports body in the world, said the world and Asian boxing chiefs whom he met couple of times have assured their fullest support to the PBF.
“With some exceptions, we have picked up new faces and they have started bringing laurels to the nation he said adding there was medal drought from 2006 to 2008,” he said.
Bhutto, who was nominated vice-chairman of the Asian Boxing Confederation’s development commission at Almaty last year, said the PBF would be sending three boxers — M. Wasim (52kg), Aamir Khan (64kg) and Nisar Khan (75kg) to England for a month’s training in Bolton. They would be joined by two boxers having dual British as well as Pakistan nationality — Haroon Khan (49kg) and Hasan Mahmood Raja (56kg).
He said the estimated cost of the trip will be about Rs 3 million.
He explained a second batch of five to six pugilists will go to England after the first batch returns.
He said the PBF has constituted a four-member national selection committee. Headed by Mohammad Farooq Ahmed of PAF, it consisted of Ali Akbar Shah (chairman referees and judges commission PBF), Major Nasir Tung (Army) and M. Yousuf Butt (Punjab).
Pakistan’s olympic winning boxer Syed Hussain Shah, while talking to a local newspaper, said that this was a very good opportunity for the pugilists and for Pakistan to qualify for the Olympics.
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