Dr. Shoukat Club Beat Shalam Club In Challenge Cup Soccer Opener

PESHAWAR,(APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Augst,2016) : Newly established Dr. Shoukat Club off to a flying start after defeating strong Shalam Club in Dr. Shoukat Challenge Football Cup, which got under way here at historical Tehmas Khan Football Stadium with 24 leading teams vie for the top honor. Member Provincial Assembly Idrees Khattak was chief guest on this occasion.

Director Operation Directorate of sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tariq Mehmood, Director Sports Aziz Ullah Khan, DSO Munawar Khan, Principal NIBS Group of Colleges Professor Fahad, former Pakistan team skipper Basit Kamal, FIFA Referee Syed Imtiaz Ali Shah, Gohar Rehman, Head Coach of Shalam Football academy Ijaz, officials, players and jam-packed spectators fence were also present. Before the start of the opening match Police Band and Local drummers exhibited a melodious demonstration where the youngsters have their dances on the tones of prominent numbers.

The aim and objective of holding the tournament is to bring football activities back to Tehmas Khan Football Complex which earlier gave a deserted look, a veteran footballer said. He said millions of rupees were spent on the stadium by planting new grass and leveling of the grounds but no attention was paid by the District Govt or the concerned quarters of the Directorate of Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a result all grass was vanished badly.

The ground was also given by the authorities for political public meetings which further damaged the condition. "The ground is meant for football, not for public meetings," he added. Speaking on this occasion, MPA Idrees Khattak, assured that the govt would improve the playing field of Tehmas Khan Football Stadium.

He also lauded the role of Dr. Shoukat who come and rescued the ground for holding the tournament besides making the field playable by spending money from his own pocket. KP Police, Shinwari Club Landikotal, Dir, Swat have already been placed in the quarter-finals while the other 20 teams will play the knock-out round before qualifying for the quarter-finals. Dr.

Shoukat Khan, a known surgeon based in Toronto, Canada, the Challenge Cup named after him, assured that more such tournaments would be organized with the aim to indulge the youth in healthy activities besides brining back football activities to Tehmas Khan Football Stadium.

Former skipper Pakistan team and Secretary General KP Football Association Basit Kamal also appreciated Dr. Shoukat for holding the event wherein 24 top teams from all across the province are taking part. He said that he has a long association with the game of football and he wants to promote it at all level.

The tournament, he said, would also help improving the condition of the ground. Earlier, Dr. Shoukat Club recorded a solitary goal victory against Shalam Club. International footballer Walid scored the only goal for Dr.

Shoukat Club in the 22nd minute of the first-half play through field attempt. Shalam Club players after conceding a goal tried their hard to level but were failed despite good display of attacking football. FIFA Referee Anwar Khan supervised the match while Ikran Khan and Abid Afridi acted as deputy referees while Basit Kamal was the match commissioner.