PSB handed over to yet another acting DG

ISLAMABAD: Yet again charge of Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has been handed over to acting Director General as Arif Ibrahim, a BPS 21 officer of OMG replaced Aamir Ali Ahmad on the post.

Arif is currently working as Sr Joint Secretary Ministry of IPC. He has been appointed DG PSB for the next 90 days or till the time the government appoints a full time head of the important sports department. Aamir who was never interested in taking over as DG PSB at first place was convinced to do so by outgoing Minister IPC Mian Riaz Pirzada.

Since taking over the PSB, Aamir was instrumental in initiating some far reaching and concrete measures aiming at making the institution practical and professional. The term of current acting DG was to end in June and therefore, in anticipation additional charge has been assigned to Arif Ibrahim.

The outgoing acting DG in his short two-month duration brought about several changes which to many associated with sports appear to be not short of revolutionary. Transparency and rules were enforced at PSB after several years. The department had run out of resources however through tight financial controls situation was managed and funding for government was secured. Political and outside pressures were resisted. The medal winners of XXI Commonwealth Games were for the first time given financial reward within one month of their achieving laurels for the country. Similarly funding for hockey as well as tennis was secured. The PSB till now was sleeping on the issue of South Asian Games. During these two months government commitment was secured for organising the South Asian Games. Similarly the executive committee decided to go ahead with health insurance for sportsmen through government owned entity and also enhancement of funding for federations. However, it seems that his reluctance to set open the doors of the PSB for activities other then sports turned out to be real reason for his leaving the charge almost 15 days prior to his actual tenure. Resisting the establishment of Dolphin Aquarium within the Complex vicinity turned out to the bone of contention between the outgoing DG and sitting Minister.

It has been learnt that Minister wanted to give the lease of aquarium to a private party which was resisted by Aamir Ali Ahmad. The matter was never brought up on the PSB Executive Committee meeting agenda last week-a decision that only drew Minister’s wrath.It is yet to be seen whether another Executive Committee meeting of the PSB would be convened within next week to fulfill the unfinished agenda.