Minister rules out downsizing in sports dept despite financial crisis

LAHORE:Punjab Sports Department, despite its severe financial crisis, will not sack or fire any employee. There was a pressure on me from certain quarters to terminate some employees to meet tough monetary conditions but I opted to continue with these workers.

Punjab Minister for Youth Affairs, Labour, Sports Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar said this while presiding over the General Body meeting of Sports Board Punjab at the National Hockey Stadium on Friday.

MPA Ajmal Khan Chandia, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Muzaffar Khan Sial, DG Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Khizar Afzaal Ch, Director Admin Dr M Kaleem, Arshad Sattar, Olympian Khawaja Junaid, Ammara Rubab from Kinnaird College, Idrees Haider Khawaja, Officers of the Board of Revenue, School Education Department, P&D, Finance Department, Local Government and Police Department participated in the meeting.

Muzaffar Khan Sial and Khizar Afzaal gave an in-depth briefing to participants of the meeting about financial issues of Sports Board Punjab and other key features. Several important decisions were made for the development of sports in the meeting. Besides this the meeting emphasised on the improvement of sports facilities and make sports programmes more effective.

An additional prize money of Rs7 lakh for table tennis and badminton (women) events in Punjab Games and the reformation of committee to name the sports facilities was also approved in the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, Faisal Khokhar said that effective efforts will be made for the restoration of sports period in educational institutions with the collaboration of School Education Department. “The restoration of sports period in schools has great significance for the development of sports. Sports marks will be recommended to children participating in competitive sports”.

He announced the declaration of emergency for the true revival and development of hockey. “Punjab Sports Department will take all possible measures for enhancing hockey interest among the youth of the province,” he added.

He also announced that Emerging Player Card is being introduced for the development of sports passion among the younger generation. “All the sports facilities of Punjab will be free for players, sports federations and associations. The rates of sports facilities will be increased by 10 % for private events,” he added.

Faisal further said that a committee headed by Secretary Sports Punjab has been constituted to rename the sports facilities of the province. “A committee comprising members of the Finance Department and Regulation Department has been constituted regarding the service of Sports Consultant and Technical Staff of the Sports Board Punjab”.

He said that separate swimming coaches will be deployed for children and adults. Besides this, a report was submitted by the inquiry committee on the issues of Punjab International Swimming Complex in the meeting.