Rs10b released for sports development in K-P

Funds will be used to revive squash, build sports facilities in tribal districts

PESHAWAR: With the next round of national games just around the corner, the provincial government has released Rs10 billion for the promotion of sports activities in the province, including the newly merged tribal districts.

Documents released by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Sports Department show that Rs10.1 billion has been released by the provincial finance department.

Of this, Rs7 billion will be used for constructing sports complexes in the erstwhile federally administered tribal areas (Fata). The money will also be disbursed to renovate existing sports facilities across the province.

The documents further showed that the sports department will spend around a billion rupees for organising sports activities such as galas and other competitions for male and female athletes of the province.

For renovating sports complexes in Mardan, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Haripur, the department has allocated Rs750 million.

To build an indoor sports complex in Buner, the department has set aside Rs200 million. To fund miscellaneous schemes in Mardan, a total of Rs500 million has been allocated, the documents showed.

With the province boasting arguably the biggest names in the world of squash, including legends such as Hashim, Jahangir and Jansher Khan, Rs250 million have been allocated for the revival of the sport in K-P apart from providing modern working and sporting environment in the province.

In the first phase of this programme, some 20 squash courts will be built in the provincial capital. Later, an equal number of courts will be built in other parts of the province.

“Our aim is to engage the youth of the province in sports facilities, utilise their energies in positive directions, as our PM has directed us to engage the youth of the province and newly-merged tribal districts,” K-P Senior Minister for Sports Atif Khan said, adding that this will help ensure a better future for the youth and also for the promotion of peace in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2019.