PFB inaugurates first youth Baseball Academy in Okara

President Pakistan Federation Baseball Syed Fakhar Ali Shah has inaugurated the first youth baseball Academy at Govt. Degree College Renala Khurad (District) in Okara.

The academy is named after Khawar Shah, the founder of the Pakistan Baseball Federation as “Khawar Shah Baseball Academy”.

Secretary-General of the Federation Sheikh Mazhar Ahmed said that due to Coronavirus, there are no sports activities in Pakistan and the government is not organizing training camps. This year Pakistan's youth baseball teams are participating in the Under-12 and Under-18 Asian Baseball Championships. Due to lack of training of players, the Chairman of the Federation Mr. Shaukat Javed ordered to open youth baseball academies in different cities of the country.

In this regard, the inauguration ceremony of Khawar Shah Baseball Academy was held in Okara yesterday. Syed Fakhar Ali Shah President Pakistan Federation Baseball Federation alongwith Dr Muhammad Hammad Lakhvi (Dean Faculty of Islamic Studies Punjab University Lahore) and Professor Ijaz Ahmed (Government College Civil Lines Lahore) is the Chief Guest of the ceremony.

Dr. Muhammad Hamood Lakhvi, Vice President, Pakistan Federation Baseball welcome the Chief Guest and other guests. He was accompanied by Engineer Muhammad Azam Bhatti (Chairman), Tariq Nadeem (Secretary-General), Muhammad Zaid Lakhvi (Finance Secretary), Rahat Abbas Zaheer Dola, Prof. Hamid Yaseen, Ahsan Farid, Imran Majeed Khan, Saleem Haider (Executive Members) from Sahiwal Division Baseball Association, Chaudhry Abdul Qayyum (Divisional Sports Officer Sahiwal), Nisarul Haq (District Sports Officer Okara), Aslam Shah (Tehsil Officer Okara), Syed Ali Shah (Captain Pakistan Youth Baseball Team), Fakhar Amir Kazmi (Legal Adviser Pakistan Federation Baseball), Muhammad Aslam, Abdul Aziz (Executive Members District Baseball Association Okara) and other dignitaries from the area attended.

Addressing the inaugural function, Chief Guest Syed Fakhar Ali Shah said that the Federation is working for the development of youth baseball in the country. In this regard, the Youth Baseball Academy in Bahria Town Lahore is already working in collaboration with the Executive Director of Bahria Town Lahore, Brig. (Retd) Khalil Ullah Butt. The players of this academy have represented Pakistan in many international competitions. In addition, Syed Muhammad Shah from the academy won the Best Hitter Award at the Under-15 Asian Baseball Championship 2019 in China and Zeeshan Amin won the Best Home Run Award and Best Outfielder Award. He hoped that the players of Okara Baseball Academy would also shine the name of the country and the nation. Syed Fakhar Ali Shah thanked Dr. Muhammad Hamood Lakhvi, Vice President, Pakistan Federation Baseball Federation, for setting up the Youth Baseball Academy in Okara.

Dr Muhammad Hamood Lakhvi thanked Syed Fakhar Ali Shah and other guests. Talking on the occasion, he said that there is a lot of talent of baseball in Okara. Two players from the region, Tariq Nadeem and Saleem Haider, are among Pakistan's most senior baseball players and have won gold, silver and bronze medals for Pakistan in a number of international competitions. He also thanked the President of the Federation Syed Fakhar Ali Shah for providing baseball equipment for the training of players in the academy.