Sports federations' role under scanner

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) reviewed on Thursday the performance of the ministry and other related institutions and decided to withdraw all the decisions taken during the tenure of the caretaker government.

The committee, which met here with its chairman Sanaullah Mastikhel in the chair, sought the performances report of all the unions and federations of sports. The chair also asked the officials about the details of Pakistan's contingent, which participated in the Paris Olympics, earlier this month.

Earlier, the committee was informed that Pakistan had not hosted the South Asian Games since 2004. Now, the officials told the committee, a summary had been sent to the prime minister for organising the 14th South Asian Games.

The IPC ministry Secretary said that instruction had been given for taking the permission from the finance and interior ministries as well as the Punjab government. He added that the budget, in this regard, had also been allocated by the finance ministry.

During the meeting, the performance of the Olympics gold medallist Arshad Nadeem was also mentioned. The meeting was informed that an 'Arshad Nadeem Complex' would be built with the funds from the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

The IPC secretary said that centres of excellence would be set up by the IPC ministry for which the prime minister had already approved Rs1 billion. Out of the amount, Rs400 million had been given, while Rs60 million more would be released, he added.

The committee chairman instructed the officials to provide details of the performances of all unions and federations as well as the budgetary allocations. He said that all decisions taken during the caretaker government would be withdrawn.

The meeting was also briefed about the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB). Officials said that there were a total of 44 federations which came under the PSB. The chair instructed the officials to provide details of the PSB members and the criteria for their nomination, and any court case involving the federations.

While reviewing the models of sports boards in other countries, the committee members emphasised the need for greater focus on merit, rather than recruitment on recommendations, and solving problems of the federations.

During the discussion, members raised the question as to what role the relevant federation played in helping the ace javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, who created new Olympic record in the Paris Games earlier this month.

"Arshad Nadeem did not have the money to buy a javelin," Mastikhel remarked at one point. "The federation that couldn't provide a javelin to Arshad," he said.