Hollow claims: Eight months on, FATA sport funds remain blocked

Inter-school games were not held in February because of a lack of finances.

PESHAWAR: Eight months after sport funds worth Rs28.7 million were allocated to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), no money has been disbursed.

Former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governor Owais Ghani had allocated the funds to the Fata sport directorate in an effort to eliminate militancy through promoting sports in the tribal belt.

A source in the directorate said that despite several appeals and requests to the government, the funds have not been received and at least 54 employees have not been paid. The government initially allocated Rs40 million for sports of which Rs28.7 million had to be released by the end of 2012. Twenty players from Fata are yet to receive their reward money, the source added.



No inter-school games were held in February because of the lack of finances and players and officials have decided not to participate in the upcoming sports gala.

Sports Director Faisal Jamil said he had sent letters to the authorities in Islamabad and they hinted at releasing the funds in the coming days. He did not mention how many days, however. Once the funds are released, the players awarded prize money and the officials will be paid, Jamid added.

The Fata inter-school games will be held shortly after the directorate receives the funds. Jamid refuted claims that the players and officials have refused to participate in the sports gala.

While government officials have made broad claims linking sports to militancy and roadmap to peace, ground realities seem quite different. Most players lack basic facilities and are not given the opportunity to participate in many events.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2013.