Street Child football players to train in England [Express Tribune]

Street Child football players to train in England [Express Tribune]

By APP 

ISLAMABAD: A UK based charity will be sending a few players from Pakistan street child football team to England for further training and grooming.

This was stated by Former Federal Minister Noorul Haq Qadri, Muslim Hands Country Director Ziaul Noor and Azad Foundation Director Amjad Rasool while addressing a press conference at National Press Club on Wednesday. They were accompanied by the Street Children Team.

Pakistan’s Street footballers had finished third in the recently concluded Street Child World Cup held in Brazil.

They said that coaches in England will train the players and if the need arises to bring foreign coaches to Pakistan for further training, that will also be pursued.

The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), will be handing out cheques worth Rs0.5 million to the players. “On May 19 the Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Minister Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada will also honour the team with Pakistan name and with track suits,” they said.

The street children team, which returned from Rio de Janeiro last month after participating in the Street Child Football World Cup, visited NPC as part of their countrywide campaign to inspire other children.

Street Child Football team at National Assembly

Earlier in the day, the National Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution recommending the federal and provincial governments to conduct a national survey for children living and working on the streets.

The resolution moved by Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Riaz Hussain Pirzada expressed appreciation for the team that won the Bronze medal in the Street Child Football World Cup 2014 in Brazil.

The resolution said that “the House recognizes and express its appreciation for the 9 young champions who brought a ray of hope for us all and won our hearts when they raised our National Flag in the famous football grounds of Brazil”.

They have come to us bearing the gift for revived national pride in football and asking this House to give rights and protect children living and working on streets in return, the resolution said.

The House is convinced of their demands and urges the federal and provincial governments to fulfil their demands.

The House reaffirmed commitments to uphold the rights of children living and working on streets in accordance with the United Nation’s Convention on Right of the Child.

It is also showed concern about the situation of children living and working on streets and call upon the federal and provincial governments to do all that is necessary for improving the situation.

The House recommended to the federal and provincial governments to develop and implement a social protection policy for street children of Pakistan in consultation with the civil society as a frame work document and also recommends developing and implementing a plan of action with clear defined goals to take concrete actions to create a protective environment for street children.

Speaking on the resolution, Raiz Pirzada said that the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) would arrange a one-month camp for acknowledging these champions.

He said that the government would provide all the available facilities for grooming the young players in Islamabad.

Pakistan People Party MNA Dr Nafeesa Shah paid rich tributes to the young champions from her party and the Sindh government. She said that the government would build grounds in Karachi for promotion of sports.

Mutahida Quami Movement (MQM) MNA Iqbal Muhammad Ali said that the government should fulfil their promises which it announced for the champions and also felicitate them.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Murad Saeed said that the government would facilitate the champions at every cost. “We would use sports as a tool for maintaining peace in the country.”

Players of the Street Child Football team also witnessed the proceedings of the House.