The Punjab government has promised to lay the Blue Astro Turf at the National Hockey stadium within two months time to which would leave the green shirts about one and a half month to train on the surface before leaving for London on July 12.
The London hockey event is going to played on the same blue surface as was promised by the Punjab government when the Pakistan hockey team won the Asian Games Hockey title and now after thorough deliberations and looking into several options, the Sports Board Punjab has given a cut of date of May 15, by which the turf would be laid.
Addressing a press conference here at the Punjab Athltics Academy Hall, Rana Mashood, deputy speaker Punjab Assembly said that the turf is planned to be laid within two months till May 15. Asif Bajwa, secretary Pakistan Hockey Federation and Usman Anwar, director general sports Punjab were also present on the occasion.
Rana Mashood informed that the Pakistan hockey team will be facilitated to start practicing at the new turf as soon as it is laid. DG Sports said that the tenders had been opened in the presence of media and technical committee. “The tenders were also sent to PPRA (Public Procurement Regulatory Authority of Pakistan) to ensure the transparency policy,” he informed.
Asif Bajwa thanked the efforts of Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif and appreciated his love for the sports enhancement in the province. The blue astro turf will prove to develop the confidence in of the hockey team for the upcoming London Olympics, he maintained.
