LAHORE - Fata team captain Riaz Nur has said that Operation Zarb-e-Azb, initiated by Army in North Wazirastan to clean the area from the terrorists, has started giving positive results in the field of sports as two players of the area are participating in the ongoing 48th National Senior Men’s Volleyball Championship being played here at the Wapda Sports Complex.
Hailing from Miran Shah in North Wazirastan, Riaz opines that if proper training and coaching is provided to them, they could have performed better in the Championship. Nur, who is a student of B.Sc, was full praise of warmness and hospitality of Lahorites. Inamullah Khan, who belongs to Darpa Khel, a village of Miran Shah, says he has inherited volleyball from the elders who would play Sunday matches in the village. Inamullah is a student and obtaining a Dentist diploma hopes that with sheer hard work and training he would soon find a place in the national team.
Both Nur and Inamullah are living in IDP camps established by the Army at Bannu. They said that they play regular volleyball in the camps but unlike big cities, they lack training and coaching facilities there. Both Nuri and Inamullah, however, praised FATA Sports Board DG M Ayaz Khan for providing them with kits, shoes and sufficient funds for their participation in the championship.  Fata Volleyball Association secretary and Fata team manager Khursheed Iqbal informed that the team had been picked after fair and transparent trials. “The selection committee called 90 players from all agencies of Fata and selected 14 players to form the team who attended five-day training camp at Peshawar,” said Khursheed, who is also a former national player.
The manger was full of praise for 19-year old Inamaullah, who made his national debut in the championship and predicted his bright future. “Inam is the future star of Pakistan volleyball”, Khursheed hoped.