Pakistan's talent has potential to conquer global sport arenas: PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday called for timely completion of sports-related projects saying that if sports participation increases, Pakistan’s talent had the potential to conquer arenas across the globe.

The premier's resolve came whilst he was chairing a high-level meeting on National Sports Policy and Overhauling of Sports Governance Structure in Pakistan.

"Pakistan Sports Board should act as a regulator and focus on providing facilities to the youth," he said.

The meeting was also apprised of the proposed revised structure of sports and coordination with the provinces for their input in the National Sports Policy.

It was told that Pakistan Sports Board’s (PSB) constitution had been re-drafted after a thorough review and the comprehensive draft has been accorded a nod by CCLC.

The board has been rationalized with its members reduced to 11 whereas the executive committee will comprise five members.

A comprehensive guideline has been laid for federations pertaining to all the sports being played in the country with incentives to comply including registration mechanism, guidelines for elections, model constitution and National Anti-doping Organization of Pakistan.

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The meeting was also briefed on coordination with the provinces regarding National Sports Policy whereby strengthening the ties has been unanimously agreed which will help to conduct organized sports activities nationwide.

It was told that the guidelines had been laid for the provinces to help increase sports activities in the provinces which include prioritization of major sports, the revival of sports activities at the grass-root level i.e. schools and facilitation of clubs and associations to engage youth at the local level.

Updating the meeting about the laying of synthetic hockey turfs, the meeting was informed that six major cities had been provided with the facility whereby in Islamabad it had been completed while the work was near completion in Wah Cantt, Faisalabad, Quetta, Peshawar, Muzaffarabad and Gilgit.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Interprovincial Coordination Dr Fehmida Mirza, Minister for State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib, Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports Punjab Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti, Minister for Sports GB Raja Nasir Ali Khan, Minister for Environment Sports & Youth Balochistan Abdul Khaliq Hazara, SACM Sindh for Sports Arbab Lutfullah, DG Pakistan Sports Board Col. Muhammad Asif Zaman (Retd) and senior officials concerned. Chief Minister KP Mehmood Khan attended the meeting via video link.