Srinagar: Minister of Finance, Dr Haseeb Drabu Monday flagged off a 25-member football team from Kashmir’s premier Football Club, Real Kashmir FC, who will play with professional football clubs in Scotland.
Wishing them good luck, Dr Drabu said Jammu and Kashmir has a large pool of talent in various fields of sports that needs exposure in national and international arenas.
“Your visit will mark a major shift in the field of sports in J&K and I am sure you will do your best to excel and bring laurels for your state. This is just a beginning and more such tours will be organized in coming days,” he said.
The team left for New Delhi on Monday from where they will fly out to Scotland on Wednesday. The team was flagged-off by Dr Drabu in presence of President, J&K Football Association, Zameer A Thakur, along with several other key members of the Association.
The team has been invited by Stenhousemuir Football Club to play a pre-season friendly at their stadium in Larbert on July 8. The visa for the team members was approved by the British High Commission in New Delhi on Monday.
With this, Real Kashmir FC will be the first club team from the valley to play on the foreign soil. “The team is excited about the prospect of getting an opportunity to play against a quality side which will help them improve their game,” an official of the RKFC said.
