ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Thursday while emphasising the need for a coherent strategy for sports, directed the Ministry of Inter-provincial Coordination (IPC) and the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to revisit the funds allocation policy as the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) complained about shortage of funds.

A meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on IPC was held here at the Parliament House with MNA Nawab Sher in the chair, discussed various matters concerning sports.

During the meeting, PHF secretary Asif Bajwa and AFP president retired Maj Gen Akram Sahi registered their complaints over shortage of funds.

After hearing Maj Gen Sahi and Bajwa, the Committee directed the IPC Ministry and the PSB to revisit the policy for allocating funds in order to promote and develop sports in Pakistan which during the past many years has seen a sharp decline in almost all disciplines at the international level.

While briefing, retired Maj Gen Sahi informed the committee that the AFP acquired the rights to organise athletics in Pakistan from the International Association of Athletics Federation (World Athletics) back in 1951.

He told the committee that AFP’s mission was to promote and develop athletics in Pakistan in accordance with the World Athletics rules. “The AFP also selects athletes and officials to represent Pakistan at [various] athletics programmes and competitions which are held in the country and abroad,” Maj Gen Sahi added.

The AFP president requested the IPC ministry to allocate necessary funds for strengthening the federation.

He told the committee that the AFP was all set to send Olympic javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem to South Africa for training for which Rs20 million will be spent.

The Khanewal-born Arshad last year made history for Pakistan at the Tokyo Olympics where he reached with his efforts not as wild card entrant.

Meanwhile, Bajwa told the committee that the PHF was facing shortage of funds. The current year, he added, was very important for the federation as this year national team will be competing in a number of international tournaments aimed at qualifying for World Cup and Olympic Games.

“Rs250 to 300 million are required for [participation in] these events,” Bajwa stated. “The Sindh government has been providing annual funds of Rs100 million to the PHF but these are not sufficient to meet the entire expenditure. Therefore, without the support of the federal government, the PHF cannot achieve desired results.

“In November this year, the PHF will hold its hockey league on the pattern of PCB’s Pakistan Super League (PSL).”

Bajwa continued, “The PHF has hired a renowned foreign coach and an international physical trainer but the funds [for these positions] are yet to be released by the government.

“In case Pakistan fail to qualify for the World Cup and Olympics, the PHF should not be held responsible unless [the] government provides funds to it,” he remarked.

The official also regretted that after federal government’s letter for ending departmental sports, SNGPL had laid off its hockey players.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2022