Lahore, July 28, 2011
Pakistan National U-16 Football team is leaving today (Friday) through PK-315 at 0830 PST from Lahore to Karachi and from Karachi PK-268 @ 1220 PST to Katmandu to take part in SAFF (South Asian Football Federation) U-16 Tournament, Pokhara, Nepal from 1st to 10th August 2011. The main purpose of this tournament is to help the SAFF Members Associations to prepare their teams for the qualifying rounds of the AFC U-16 tournament.
According to the press release issued here by Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, President PFF wished U-16 Football team the best. He hoped they shall play in an outstanding manner as the peoples of Pakistan are looking for a victory by their young players. He expressed his satisfaction on their training and the ability to play well. On this occasion he said that they are our future players in the big league.
Col. ® Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi, Secretary General PFF expressed his satisfaction in their coaching, their ability and hoped that management shall look well after the team during their visit to Nepal a brotherly country of Pakistan and hope that they will at home there.
The detail of U-16 National Football team contingents are as follows: Usman Khan (Goal Keeper), Syed Hassan Mujtaba (Goal Keeper), Muhammad Boota (Goal Keeper), Malik Dilshad Ahmed (DF), Muneer(DF), Shahbaz Masih(DF), Rashid Noor (DF), Babar Ali (DF), Basit Amin (DF), Bilal Asghar (MF), Muhammad Sohail (MF), Sanaullah (MF), Raza Ali (MF), Haider Ali (MF), Muhammad Zeeshan (MF), Yawar (MF), Sher Ali (FW), Ashfaq Ud Din (FW), Muhammad Bilal (FW), Zain ul Abideen (FW), Mansoor Khan (11) and Tanzeel (DF). The officials of the U-16 team are Sajjad Mahmood (Coach), Muhammad Hassan Baloch (Assistant Coach), Dr. Kamran Mehdi (Physio) and Fazal Ur Rehman (Media Officer)
Six countries including host Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh Sri Lanka and Maldives are participating in the tournament. All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) chose Pokhara as the host city after Nepal was given the opportunity to host the tournament.
Pokhara is a city of close to 350,000 inhabitants in central Nepal located at 28.25°N, 83.99°E, which is the centre of the country from east to west or from north to south, 198 km west of capital or 90 km west of Mugling, Chitwan or 178 km north of Sunauli (border town of India) or 150 km south-east of Jomsom or 80 km east of Baglung. It is the second largest city of Nepal. It is the Headquarters of Kaski District, Gandaki Zone and capital of geographical Central Nepal i.e., Western Development Region. Pokhara is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nepal. It is also known as the Tourist capital of Nepal, noted for its tranquil atmosphere and the beauty of the surrounding countryside. Three out of the ten highest mountains in the world can be viewed very closely from Pokhara.