ISLAMABAD: Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Dr. Fehmida Mirza pledged Pakistan’s “all out support” for Saudi Arabia to host the Asian Games in 2030, a statement on Friday said.
It follows her meeting with Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Al Al-Maliki in Islamabad earlier this week where Dr. Mirza “discussed matters pertaining to sports, tourism and other affairs of mutual interest.”
“Saudi ambassador thanked Fehmida Mirza for (her) profuse hospitality and admired her profound concerns for the betterment of sports infrastructure in Pakistan,” the statement said, adding that she “ensured all out support from Pakistan for Saudi Arabia to host the Asian games.”
Pakistan's minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Dr Fehmida Mirza met Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf Bin Said Al-Malki on December 11, 2020 in Islamabad. (Photo Courtesy: KSA embassy twitter)
In October, the Kingdom’s sports minister launched an official campaign to secure maximum number of votes from members of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to host the 21st Asian Games, also known as Asiad.
Later, Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, who is also chairman of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC), submitted Saudi Arabia’s bid to the governing body, nominating Riyadh as the venue for the event.
OCA officials are set to decide the venue for the event when they meet for their 39th General Assembly in Muscat, Oman on December 16.
