President of Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF),General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani presided over the Annual General Meeting of the Federation held at GHQ Auditorium, attended by Aslam R.Khan and Maj Gen(r)Tariq Salim Malik,Vice Presidents,Taimur Hassan,Honorary Secretary,Col(r) Muhammad Safi,Treasurer,Mehmood Aziz,Joint Secretary, members of Executive Committee of PGF,Lt.Gen(r)Ijaz A.Bakhshi,Brig(r)Muhammed Akram,Khawaja Pervaiz Saeed,Col(r)Jameel Khalid, Shahid Khan from Punjab Golf Association,Asad I.A.Khan,Ahmed Abdul Bari,Tariq Raz ,Syed Munsif Raza from Sind Golf Association,Zahid P.Arbab from Federal Golf Association,Brig Naeem Abdul Baqi Malik,Arshed Mehmood from Pakhtoonkhwa Golf Association, Brig.Ahid Muzzafar from Balochistan Golf Association and Lt.Gen Khalid Nawaz Khan,President,Rawalpindi Golf Club.The ladies who attended were Mrs.Durdana Somroo(Karachi),Asma Afzal Shami(Lahore),and Yasmin Mubarik(Islamabad),Tahira Nazir(Rawalpindi).A significant decision taken during this meeting after an open house discussion was the unanimous endorsement and consent of the plan to set up the Pakistan Golf Academy and an international standard Golf Course in Islamabad on a 150 acre land leased by Capital Development Authority.Maj Gen(r) Tariq Saleem Malik spelled out the salient features of this project which is likely to set the pace for golf development in the country.The Academy will soon be able to provide the required training to youngsters irrespective of their status in society,with only cosideration being their talent and urge to become golfers of substance.Other items on the agenda included approval of the annual report on the activities of PGF,the main highlights being the performances of our golf professionals,Muhammed Shabbir Iqbal and Muhammed Shabbir who appeared as dominant challengers in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in China.Amongst the amateurs Muhammed Ali Hai has demonstrated immense promise and won the top position in Bangla Desh Amateur Golf championship.The Pakistan team also performed appreciably well in the 24th Asia Pacific Amateur Golfteam Championship for Nomura Cup securing the 8th position out of a total of 21 teams.
Other developments during the year were the coaching sessions held to track talented coaches,to enhance their grading as coaches and through this comprehensive exercise and support from Royal and St Andrews a total of 45 coaches have now acquired the ‘c’ category certification.Juniors are now under focus and in collaboration with the Provincial Golf Associations,the Pakistan Golf Federation has been able to identify talent that will be monitored for progress and acheivements and supported with required facilities.As for the talent picked from amongst the ball boys and caddies,they will be be looked after well so that they remain focused.Besides cash support their families will be provided rations so that the young ones can concentrate on their game.In this regard a noteworthy development is that we are a part of the Nick Faldo Series development in Asia and this is going to be very useful for our juniors.On this occasion the President,PGF,Gen.Ashfaq Parvez Kayani appreciated the efforts of the professional golfers of the country and promised to facilitate them in getting them jobs so that their basic needs are conveniently met and they can concentrate on their game. A Comittee was also formed to come with a plan to review their problems and suggest a road map for their future development.
