LAHORE: The Pakistan Amateur Boxing Federation (PBF) and Pakistan Professional Boxing League (PPBL) have inked an agreement to start a professional boxing league in the country.

A grand ceremony to sign the agreement was organised in Lahore, which was largely attended by the sports fraternity including leading current and former boxers, president and secretaries of many national sports federations. Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar was the chief guest.

President Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) retired Lt Gen Syed Arif Hasan, secretary Khalid Mahmood — who is also the president of the PBF — and PPBL chairman Shahid Khan and president Noman attended the ceremony.

Besides signing the agreement, the logo of the league was also unveiled during the ceremony.

Ch. Sarwar said the corporate sector should come forward to spend on the promotion of sports. He also assured government support for the professional league. He disclosed that thrice he was invited for this function but all the times the organisers had changed the dates and now it was fourth time lucky that he attended it.

POA president Arif said all the stakeholders, players, corporate sector, national sports federations and the government of Pakistan had to move untidily to put the country back on the track of the sports.

He said the holding of the league would prove first drop of rain to promote the sports cultural in the country.

PBF president Khalid Mahmood said the game of boxing had earned 223 medals at the different international events to have lion’s share in the country’s tally of medal winning.

He paid tribute to late Professor Anwar Ali Chaudhary, former president of World and Pakistan boxing federation for his role he played for the Pakistani boxers. He said during Anwar’s tenure the Pakistani boxers were excelling at the world level.

He said according to the agreement with the professional league, the amateur boxers would be allowed to play in that league, without facing any kind of ban from the PBF.

The dates, venues and other details of the league will be decided by the PBF and PPBL in due course of time.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2020