Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi visited the residence of Pakistan’s Minister of Defence, Khawaja Asif, in Sialkot today. He was accompanied by former caretaker information minister Aamir Mir and former sports minister Wahab Riaz.
Naqvi took the opportunity to congratulate the Sialkot team for their victory in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. The team clinched the title after a thrilling final against Peshawar last week.
During the visit, Khawaja Asif addressed the media, welcoming Naqvi and the other guests. He expressed pride over Sialkot’s victory in the prestigious tournament, calling it a significant achievement for the city.
Asif also discussed the challenges facing cricket in Sialkot, highlighting the lack of a dedicated cricket stadium. He revealed that a budget of Rs 3 billion had been allocated for the construction of a stadium in the city.
He also mentioned the ongoing Sialkot-Pindi Motorway project, suggesting that the stadium project could be integrated into the development authority’s work. He raised concerns about the commercialization of road construction, urging the government to leave such projects to the private sector.
Khawaja Asif reiterated his commitment to addressing the city’s problems, including the stadium issue, and emphasized that the Punjab government would require assistance in improving the stadium infrastructure. He expressed his personal dedication to solving the issues in Sialkot, stating, “Sialkot is my city, solving its problems is my priority.”
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi also congratulated the winning team and acknowledged Khawaja Asif’s point on the business aspects of construction. He suggested that if the business community in Sialkot came together to fund the stadium, the PCB would support the initiative.
Naqvi further announced that Sialkot’s cricket team would now compete at the national level, with additional teams being introduced to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) this year. He confirmed that Sialkot’s team would be among those joining the league.
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