A healthy society: ‘Sports help prepare youth for real challenges’

Minister inaugurates divisional cricket tournament

BAHAWALPUR: The provincial government has earmarked Rs5 billion in the budget for 2016-2017 to promote sports and modernise sports infrastructure, Minister for Cooperatives Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar said on Sunday at the inauguration of a divisional cricket tournament organised by Sada Bahar Cricket Control Board, Sahlaan Markaz.

The minister had been called as a chief guest at the tournament. He inaugurated the tournament by hitting the first ball.  Members of cricket control board; Union Council Chairman Bilal Baloch and a large number of cricket enthusiasts attended the inauguration.

The minister said Rs3 billion of the total budget would be spent on completing on-going schemes and Rs2 billion had been earmarked for new sports development projects this year.

“Sports help inculcate positive values and traits among the youth which can help them play a constructive role in building a progressive society.”

Channar said the government had launched a comprehensive programme to establish a state-of-the art sports infrastructure at the tehsil, district and provincial levels. “We want to provide to our youth modern facilities to further sharpen their talents in various sports activities.”

The minister said that organising sports activities helped engage the youth in healthy; constructive and positive physical activities which could serve as a socialisation instrument and prepare the youth to face challenges of real life with grace, dignity and fortitude.

He said the chief minister’s vision for the youth attached great significance to the promotion of sports and creating a balanced and healthy society.

The provincial government has also launched a new initiative of establishing electronic libraries in Bahawalpur, Bhakar, Sahiwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh and Rahim Yar Khan districts.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2016.