IPC minister briefed by POA chiefs

ISLAMABAD: The Minister for Inter-Provincial Co-ordination (IPC) Dr Fahmida Mirza is set to brief Prime Minister Imran Khan on sports development in Pakistan on Tuesday (today).

In a media talk following the meeting with Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) head Lt Gen (rtd) Arif Hasan on Monday, the IPC Minister said: “The IPC Ministry and POA official meeting was useful in many ways. I am going to brief PM Imran Khan on Tuesday regarding the problems faced by Pakistan sports in general and Olympic sports in particular. My meeting with POA delegation was important in a sense that it has given me a better picture to understand the problems faced by Pakistani sportsmen and women.

“Asian Games performance also came under discussion during the meeting. We are not happy with the Games performance, nor is the POA,” she said. “Other countries invest heavily in sports. We for reasons unknown haven’t done enough to catch up with other countries. We have to make moves in order to excel in international games,” she added.

She called on the private sector, particularly multinational firms to invest in sports. “Without their help we would not be in a position to groom our children. I have to admit here that government funds given to sports federations and other bodies are not enough. I will take up the matter with the PM,” said the minister.

She stressed the need for talent hunt schemes at grassroots level. “There is no effective way to pick the talent. A proper scheme is required to spot the talent at right age,” said Fahmida. She stressed the need to include sports chapters in studies. “We will consider including sports chapters in curriculum at primary level,” she said.

The minister said that she had ordered an inquiry into whether one of the officials took her kids with her during the Games. “That is totally uncalled for and need proper inquiry. I want action against such an official,” she said.POA president Lt Gen (rtd) Arif Hasan thanked the minister for taking the stakeholders in confidence before her meeting with the PM.