PESHAWAR (APP): The male and female team of Pakistan Shinwari Football Club (SFC) would visit Argentina in September for which all arrangements will be made by the Argentine government and Federal Sports Community Argentina, said Shahid Khan Shinwari, the Present of the Club while talking to media men here on Sunday.
In this connection Shahid Khan Shinwari and Director of Argentina Federal Sports Community and Elite Juan Ignacio Lara and Executive Secretary of the Athletics Center for Sports signed an MoU to have constant visits of not only the sports teams of both Pakistan and Argentina but also Youth Exchange Program in other sectors.
Shahid Khan Shinwari, who held a meeting with the Argentinian delegation of 10 members at the Argentinian Embassy Islamabad with Argentinian Ambassador to Pakistan was also present during the delegates meeting.
He said that the Argentine government already wants to work for the promotion of football in Pakistan and in this regard, he expressed this desire that the male and female teams of one of the leading Clubs of Pakistan including players from other provinces would visit Argentina.
Shahid Khan also confirmed that before the team’s visit to Argentina in September this year, Pakistan’s six-member delegation will go to Argentina on the invitation of the Argentine government, where it will participate in the Argentine National Games as a guest.
During the visits, they would also discuss the organization of matches with various clubs in the month of October, he said. Steps will be taken for the promotion of football under the youth exchange program to provide not only the right coaching but also international exposure to the talent, Shahid Khan said.
Trials will be organized to provide opportunities to talented players from other provinces along with members of Shinwarian Club, Shahid Khan said, adding, “Argentine Ambassador is very kind and extended all out support to us so that the talented players of Pakistan could play football with the leading Clubs of Argentina.
He said Argentina wants to support Pakistan in both male and female football for which they are ready to provide coaching and training facilities to the Pakistani players. There are not many opportunities for the Pakistani footballer to get international exposure and with such a youth to youth exchange program, more players would be benefitted.
He said that in connection with the Prime Minister’s Youth Talent Hunt, Women football trials will be starting from June 7 in five regions of the province including Kohat-Bannu, Mardan, Swat, Hazara and Peshawar under Bacha Khan University Charsadda and among them a good team of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be short-listed for the Argentina Tour.
He said after the trials the selected female players would also represent Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the National League to be held under the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif Youth Talent Hunt Program so it is a good opportunity that these selected players would be short-listed for the international tour.
He said after the trials good players would be short-listed as female players from all five regions will be taking part. He said the said trials will be supervised by the Director Sports Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, under the aegis of Higher Education Commission and talks with this connection have already been made with Shahbana Khattak, the Director Sports of the University.
He said that football is non-existent in Pakistan while the football organizers have kept silent and the talent is wasted. He thanked the Argentine Ambassador and said that his special attachment to Pakistan and the steps taken for the promotion of football will not only help for the promotion of football but also the atmosphere of brotherhood between the two countries would further be cemented. He said that in this regard, he has also met with Director General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khalid Mahmood, who has agreed to extend all out support in this regard. Former Pakistan captain and coach Arshad Khan, Director Development Saleem Raza, Assistant Director Sports Operation Imran Khan, Senior Sports Journalist Ijaz Ahmad Khan and football organizer Malik Hidayat Ullah were also present in the meeting. Shahid Khan Shinwari told the Argentine Ambassador that DG Sports Khalid Mahmood would lead this delegation besides providing all out support.