RAWALPINDI - Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif always very keenly favours sports and has again proved it by granting Rs 20 million for the construction of hockey stadium at Muslim High School, which is almost completed and first match will be played there on August 14. These views were expressed by M Hanif Abbasi, Member National Assembly (MNA), in an exclusive interview with TheNation on Monday. He said with this huge grant they built a pavilion, boundary wall, toilets along with renovation and sitting arrangements for players and crowd, which was in dilapidated condition earlier. He said they hired the services of Olympians Shahnaz Sheikh, Shahbaz Senior, Rana Mujahid and Salim Sherwani Senior to look after and monitor the emerging players and run an academy for the youth of the area. Hanif Abbasi hails from Hazara, was born in a remote village called Birot. He came to Rawalpindi in 1991 and became a popular trade union leader. He said they would hold schools, colleges, inter-university and departmental tournaments in which all the leading teams like PIA, Wapda, Customs and others would appear on regular basis. It is my dream to provide maximum facilities to our youth, he added. Hanif Abbasi said the remaining part of Muslim High School ground will be utilised to establish a world-class cricket ground and the District Government had already started its PC-I. He said that work on this project would start in July or early August adding that the renowned coach Sabih Azhar had been assigned the task to train the youngsters, while players like Shoaib Akhtar, Yasir Arfat and Sohail Tanveer would give tips to the kids. He said the empty space located behind Benazir Hospital would be used to construct a cricket ground adding that they had started negotiations with the district government and Civil Aviation Authority and as soon as they got nod, they would start work on the project. This piece of land is disputed and we are trying to get clearance. After the things are settled down, the work will be started. I will talk to the Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in this regard and will also get help from business community and Rawalpindi Chamber and Commerce, he stated. Hanif Abbasi further said they were planning to construct Shahbaz Sharif Park between Dhok Kaku Shah to Rawal Road area and they would install two practice pitches at the park for cricketers of the area to benefit them from the facilities. He said these healthy activities would encourage the youth to think positive and it would also help us stop the youth falling prey to terrorist activities. He said they spent Rs 7 million on Jamia High School, Dhok Ali Akbar ground, as rainwater covered the whole pitch and the youngsters were deprived of playing games. To a question regarding delay in renovation work on Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Hanif Abbasi said: This ground was handed over to PCB and they are responsible for maintenance and other work but I will talk to CM in this regard and hopefully this matter will be resolved soon. When pointed out the frustration of the youth of the Dr Qadeer Road and adjacent areas, who play cricket at ADA Cricket ground and are forced to leave the ground as security personnel disallow them to play due to VIP movements, as earlier youth of the area had already appealed to COAS and others officials concerned, Hanif Abbasi said: Though this ground is not in my constituency but still I will talk to Ch Nisar Ali Khan, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, to settle this amicably.