Task force on sports to brief Prime Minister

ISLAMABAD: The task force on sports headed by Ehsan Mani is scheduled to brief Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday (today) on its findings and proposals for the uplift of sports in the country.

Jamil Ahmad, secretary Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC), told ‘The News’ that depending on the prime minister’s availability, the briefing would be held on Wednesday.

Though the task force was given the mandate to look into all options and finalise a detailed framework for the uplift of sports, matters pertaining to hockey would also be discussed in the meeting.

“Hockey is Pakistan’s national sport and as such requires special handling,” the IPC secretary said.

A few days back while talking to ‘The News’, Mani, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, called on all sports bodies to tighten up their system to get the finances to run the organisations on their own and in an effective way.

Mani had said there was a need to streamline the prevailing sports system in the country.

“There is absolutely no prevailing professional system in sports bodies which has resulted in total chaos. Even cricket administration requires more professionalism and we are working on it.

“You need a better, collective and professional management of the federations including hockey,” Mani had said.

On a question regarding the task force’s findings, Mani said, “The task force during a recent meeting with IPC Minister Dr Fehmida Mirza discussed the finalised report and considered all relevant aspects.

“It was a comprehensive meeting with the minister in which all matters pertaining to Olympic sports including hockey were discussed before one final meeting with the prime minister.”

It is believed that IPC Minister Dr Fehmida Mirza will also be present at the task force’s briefing to the prime minister.

Though Mani was unwilling to extend any financial help to hockey from the PCB’s kitty, the matter could well be discussed today.