Flag row: Gilani accepts Pakistani chef de mission’s apology
October 8th, 2010 - 1:01 pm ICT by IANS
Islamabad, Oct 8 (IANS) Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has accepted the unconditional apology tendered by chief of the Pakistani contingent at the Commonwealth Games over his decision to carry the national flag instead of giving it to a weightlifter at the inaugural ceremony.
Dawn quoted sources as saying that while accepting the apology, the prime minister directed the sports ministry to take measures to avoid such incidents in future.
Weightlifter Shujauddin Malik was reportedly supposed to carry the flag and lead the national contingent into the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium Oct 3. But at the last moment, chef de mission Muhammad Ali Shah decided to carry it.
Weightlifting team members felt slighted and they insisted that the national flag must be carried by Malik. This led to a verbal altercation between the weightlifters and Shah.
Malik had won the only gold medal for Pakistan at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
According to the inquiry ordered by Gilani, Shah said he did not know Malik was to carry the national flag.
A meeting was held in New Delhi after the ceremony in the presence of Pakistan Olympic Association president Arif Hasan. During the meeting, Shah apologised to Malik.
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Tags: 2006 commonwealth games, ali shah, altercation, association president, chef de mission, gilani, hasan, inaugural ceremony, islamabad, jawaharlal nehru, jawaharlal nehru stadium, last moment, muhammad ali, national flag, olympic association, shah malik, sports ministry, weightlifter, weightlifters, yousuf
