Sindh sports dept plans competitions across province

KARACHI: The provincial sports department has devised a comprehensive plan to organise sports competitions in various disciplines for the youth at grassroots level, said Parliamentary Secretary for Sports and Youth Affairs of Sindh Ms. Saima Agha.

Speaking to The News, Saima said that the Sindh government has established state-of-the-art stadiums, indoor sports complexes , gymnasiums, football and hockey stadiums, some of them having floodlight facilities with capacity of thousands of spectators but unfortunately, they have not been utilised properly.

“On the directives of Sindh’s Sports Minister, Sardar Mohammad Bux Mehar, a plan for organising numerous sports competitions across various districts of Sindh has been formulated,” Saima said. “State-of-the-art sports infrastructure has been developed in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Thatta, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad, Shikarpur, Khairpur, Jamshoro, Dadu, Badin, Sanghar, Shahdadkot, and other districts. Dozens of hockey austro turf stadiums, cricket stadiums, Malakhra stadiums, synthetic football turfs and lush green grass football stadiums with installation of flood lights have also been developed alongside indoor complexes and gymnasiums.”

Saima further revealed that sports officers have been appointed in all districts to ensure that competitions are organised properly and athletes are appropriately supported. “These initiatives will not only ensure the proper utilisation of the infrastructure but will also help nurture talented young athletes who can become our future assets,” she highlighted.

With the 35th National Games scheduled in Karachi from January to February next year, the provincial government is going to intensify its efforts. “The sports department has sought data on the popularity of each sport in the respective districts of Sindh, as well as participant numbers across different disciplines. The details will be announced district-wise, considering the requirements and ground realities of each district,” Saima revealed.

She emphasised that their core focus is on the proper utilization of facilities, benefiting both aspiring athletes and the general public. “We have the infrastructure, but the issue has been its proper utilisation. We aim to address this, benefiting not just the players but the community as a whole,” she said.

After National Games, directives will be issued to all sports officers across Sindh to ensure that competitions, particularly in disciplines like cricket, football, gymnastics, futsal, hockey, bodybuilding, weightlifting, volleyball, basketball, table tennis, boxing, and Malakhara are held as soon as possible.