All Set To Hold All-Pakistan Challenge Football Cup: Zahir Ali Shah

PESHAWAR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News -27th Sep,2016) : President Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Football Association and former health minister Syed Zahir Ali Shah Wednesday said that big teams are coming to Peshawar after a lapse of 30 long years to participate in the prestigious All-Pakistan Challenge Football Cup to be commencing from October 1, 2016 here at Qayyum sports Complex.

Talking to APP soon after chairing a meeting of the organizing committee at his residence, Syed Zahir Ali Shah, expressed the hope that Peshawarites would see top teams in action during a 20-day event.

He said the Challenge Cup would cost KP Football Association two million. "We will provide all possible facilities to the players during the tournament," Zahir Ali Shah said. Former national team skipper Basit Kamal and other members of the organizing committee including Secretary General of the AIPS Asia Amjad Aziz Malik, President KP Sports Writers Association Jehanzeb Siddique, former international football players, Zahid Ul Khair and Qazi Muhammad Asif, members of the section committee headed by former international foot-baller of the 1960s Ghafoor Ajiz (Peshawar), with other members comprising Hizbullah Khan (Tank), Mohib Ullah Khan (Kohat), Ghaffar Khan (Dir), two coaches Sageer Ahmad (Nowshera) and Ghafoor District Dir and representative from Peshawar District Football Association, members of the KP Football Association were also attended the meeting.

He said 24 players each would be part of the two teams and most of the youngsters have been provided opportunities to play against top teams to be part of the Challenge Cup. He said after a lapse of 30-35 years, such big teams coming to Peshawar.

He said the association despite meager resources decided to select upcoming youngsters in the team to play big matches against top teams. He said the meeting also reviewed overall arrangements in this connection.

He said they have also invited guests from other provinces including international footballers to come to Peshawar and see top teams in action. He said top teams comprising PIA, ptv, Pakistan Wapda, KESC, Islamabad, Punjab, Khan Research Laborites (KRL), Pakistan Police, FATA, Pakistan Air Force and host Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will participate.

The teams he said have been divided in four different groups. In the group-A he said PTV, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Police, in group-B PIA, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Red and Islamabad, in group-C FATA, Pakistan Wapda and KRL while in group-D teams comprising PAF KESC, and Punjab.

He said KP FA in collaboration with PFF and Directorate of Sports KP is holding the event. He said for the smooth conduct of the Cup a Technical Committee and Umpiring Committee Headed by Malik Hidayat and Qazi Asif have been constituted.

The members of the Technical Committee comprising Zahir Ul Khair, Shakir Ullah, Ahmad Lala while in the umpiring committee members including Anwar Khan, Imtiaz Ali, Ikram Ullah, Abid Khan would assists both Haji Hidayat Ullah and Qazi Asif.

He said Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) champions K-Electric is all geared up to compete. He said KE team has reached Islamabad to participate in the training camp currently underway at Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad.