KARACHI: Stakeholders on Wednesday demanded that the federal government restore departmental teams as these institutions have played a sheet anchor role in the development of sports and well-being of the players and their families.
Speaking at the National Conference titled ‘Importance of Departmental Sports and Leadership through Sports’ organised by the Sports Journalists Association of Sindh (SJAS) here at the Boys Scouts Headquarters, stakeholders said that a committee should be constituted to meet the prime minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif and convince him to restore the departmental teams which were abolished by the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
In September last year, the PTI government issued a notification and advised the departments to stop funding their sports teams and divert their budget to support the regional teams. This forced several departments to abolish their sports teams. Even before that some departments had abolished their sports teams which created major financial issues for the players, officials and their families.
“It’s a big financial issue for the players. You cannot bring in Australian or English system as they are welfare states and players also get ample financial support through their existing systems. If we are to bring in such a system then we will also have to make massive improvement in the other sectors also. Let’s set aside cricket, why did you abolish departments in other sports? It’s totally unacceptable,” former left-arm Test spinner Iqbal Qasim said.
“Barring cricket, sports should be given an immediate relief by restoring the departments,” Iqbal was quick to add. “There are no budgetary issues with the banks. I request the premier that in cricket departments can be used as nurseries,” Iqbal pointed out.
Former Pakistan hockey captain Islahuddin Siddiqui also backed the departmental sports. “Our careers flourished when we came to the departments. Departments plays the role of a tonic and oxygen; players get financial assistance which helps them focus on their sports,” Islah said.
“If you want to regionalise sports then for that it is important to bring regions at par with the departments,” Islah pointed out.
Pakistan Snooker and Billiards Association’s chairman Alamgir Sheikh said it’s a serious issue and should be highlighted. “We need to press this issue as it is a matter of bread and butter of the players. The whole media should raise this issue and if it does not help then we should send a delegation to meet the premier,” Sheikh said.
Karachi City Cricket Association’s (KCCA) former president and former PCB Governing Board member Professor Ijaz Farooqui said that departments offer jobs to players which secure their life.
“If a player wants to adopt sports as career there should be departments to offer him a job. Otherwise, how can parents allow their children to go towards sports,” he said. “Cricket suffered the most after departments were abolished as cricketers were seen doing odd jobs,” Farooqui said.
Nasir Ismail, a former assistant coach of Pakistan football team, also backed the departmental sports. “If you isolate the departments it will create a chaos. There should be such a policy and structure where departmental sports and professional sports could be run side by side,” Nasir said.
He revealed that so far around 18 departments have disbanded their teams which has created a massive problem for players and officials.
Senior journalist Rashid Aziz said that departments have played a key role in the development of sports in Pakistan.
“Where are the clubs which used to contribute massively to sports development?” Rashid said.
The country’s renowned sports anchor Waheed Khan said that it was extremely difficult to revive the departmental sports in these pressing economic conditions.
“I don’t think departments can be revived as the country’s economy does not allow that. The state should go for framing such schemes through which money could be generated and spent on sports. Departmental sports, no doubt, had a big role in the sports development but now corporate sector is throwing money massively in sports and it’s time to go for alternatives to support sports,” Waheed said.
Famous sports anchor Mirza Iqbal also supported departmental sports. “Players have been groomed by departments. There is a big need of departments in the sports sector as through these institutions we have produced world greats,” Iqbal said.
Senior journalist Syed Khalid Mehmood said it was “very unlikely” for departmental sports to be revived in this critical economic situation.