Mr. Gianluca Cameruccio visited Karachi on the invitation of the Consul General of Italy in Karachi H.E. Danilo Giurdanella.
The purpose of the aforementioned visit was mainly to evaluate and discuss with the local authorities and offices, regarding the security and management of public order services, within Pakistan, specifically during sporting and football events. During his stay in Karachi, Dr. Cameruccio held official meetings with the Pakistani Authorities, the Police Forces, the Special Police Units and the local football teams, including meeting some players of the local Pakistani football club, including the women’s team.
During his visit to the Special Security Unit (SSU) of the Sindh Police, Mr. Cameruccio gave a presentation entitled “Violence in stadiums, a hypothesis in terms of security” to the officials and policemen present, illustrating the techniques and the main guidelines regarding the management of public order services in Italy, by the police forces and in close synergy and collaboration with the subsidiary stewarding services.
Mr. Cameruccio together with the CG of Italy in Karachi, Mr. Danilo Giurdanella also visited Karachi United, a sports development organization that has been operating in Karachi since 1996 and currently manages 12 centers of excellence in low-income areas where + 1000 disadvantaged children (boys and girls) train for free. Karachi United also boasts of a professional men’s team that competes in the PFF Pakistan Premier League, while the women’s professional team finished second in the latest women’s national championship. Furthermore, numerous events at all levels, from schools to professionals, are also hosted to help build the football community in Pakistan.
The purpose of these visits was to understand the local dynamics of football in Pakistan, which is still in the evolutionary stage of development. The key areas discussed during the visit were:
- Developing grassroots football in Pakistan, challenges and opportunities
- Community development using football to break sociocultural and socioeconomic barriers
- Develop world-class talent to help Pakistan raise its global stature
Through possible future comparison with European football clubs such as Internazionale F.C. Milan, local clubs could benefit from improving the skills of local coaches through coach exchange programs or organize possible future coaching seminars with international clubs such as Internazionale F.C. Milan. Opportunities could also be created for both local actors, such as youth training tours and summer camps, as well as professional trials for our senior talent. Such possible collaborations, if they could be created, with a club like Internazionale FC Milano, could help promote the most popular sporting game in the world in Pakistan.
Consul General Danilo Giurdanella appreciated and lauded the efforts of the Pakistani authorities, the Mayor of Karachi Mr. Murtaza Wahab and the local football clubs for providing a great platform for disadvantaged children and women, who do not have access to such opportunities in Pakistan and assured his full support in harnessing opportunities for underprivileged children and female athletes.
