ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif on Wednesday said that the construction of the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) Cricket Stadium will play a vital role in promoting the game particularly in Karachi, the country’s biggest metropolis.

Dawn reached out to the former wicket-keeper batter, who is also the PQA head coach, in Islamabad where he was engaged with the PQA team ahead of their President’s Trophy Grade-II (Gold) match.

According to Rashid, a state-of-the-art cricket venue is going to be constructed at the PQA Housing Complex in Karachi, after the Ministry of Maritime Affairs gave its go-ahead to the port authority for starting the work.

“Since the tendering process [for the venue] has already been completed and now the ministry has also accorded its approval, I think the work will start soon. Once it starts, I think the first phase of the project of developing grounds will be completed in four months,” he said.

“This [approval of the PQA stadium project] is a major development for which let me appreciate Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar and PQA Chairman retired Rear Admiral Syed Moazzam Ilyas who took personal interest in [lifting] the PQA sports department,” Rashid added.

“Because of their efforts cricket and hockey stadium projects are going to be launched,” he said adding that other government departments should also strengthen their sports sections.

“Without the involvement of departments, the country’s sports sector cannot progress. In the past, all major government organizations as well as private sector maintained their sports departments and teams, including cricket,” Rashid emphasised.

“I hope this PQA cricket stadium project will play a crucial role in promoting cricket in Karachi because under this project, academies will also be set up which will train young cricketers under the supervision of our coaches like [former Pakistan cricketers] Mohammad Sami, Shadab Kabir, Asim Kamal, Mohammad Salman and Abdur Rauf,” he highlighted.

Meanwhile, PQA captain Khurram Manzoor said that the abovementioned stadium is a vital project for cricket. “At a time, when sports spaces in Karachi are shrinking, this [project] is a positive development,” he said.

It is relevant to note here that M/s Glamour Construction Company won the PQA sports project by submitting the lowest bid worth Rs52.64 million, for the first phase. The second phase will begin later through a fresh tendering process.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2026