The Pakistan Sports Board (PBS) has rightly banned the president and secretary of the Pakistan Boxing Federation for dereliction of duty and betrayal of trust. This ban on the mentioned office-bearers stems from their failure to fulfil their official responsibilities, which has severely damaged Pakistan’s international reputation. The PSB has also imposed a collective fine of one million rupees on both. Even more alarming is that they face accusations of human-trafficking, which solicits a probe from FIA.
It’s not just about corruption; it’s about the dark underbelly of human-trafficking that has plagued Pakistan’s sports federations for years. Pakistan saw the disappearance of boxers, Suleman Baloch and Nazir Ullah, during the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. The trafficking of athletes strikes at the heart of sportsmanship and must be stamped out with the full force of the law. The future of Pakistan’s sports and its global reputation hang in the balance. The people of Pakistan deserve leaders in sports who uphold integrity, fairness and the honour of the nation. It’s time for the “sports mafia” to be dismantled once and for all.
Asif Dar
Lahore
