New Pakistan Sports Board in the offing

ISLAMABAD: The proposed Pakistan Sports Education, Development and Infrastructure Board (PSEDIB) would drive its powers from the board of governors and executive committee that would be given a fresh look to make them more proactive.

‘The News’ on Thursday had access to the Task Force on Sports prepared draft and proposed constitution of the PSEDIB, which would be enforced once it is vetted by the Ministry of Law. According to the draft besides the board and executive committee, the PSEDIB director general would also have powers to run day-to-day business.

For the first time, the PSEDIB has also been given the responsibility to develop cricket grounds throughout the country. Earlier it was the responsibility of the Pakistan Cricket Board. While framing all regulations, the board will follow the international best practices and standards to ensure transparency and accountability. The government has already decided to follow the UK sports structure and the team from abroad is due in the country as confirmed by a top official of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination.

The function of the PSEDIB would be to plan, organise, implement sports policy and maintenance of government funded sports infrastructure and integration of similar activities at national level through coordination with the respective provincial sports boards and development of sports education through coordination with the different provincial sports departments.

The PSEDIB powers extendable to the whole country would be to develop sports policy and programmes with the help of the education and health sectors, and local governments for integration of sports into all aspects of youth development and at grassroots level with a focused shift of organised sports at the local level as well as in the educational institutions.

For the first time HEC would have a role in determining the shape of Pakistan sports. Apart from that, the PSEDIB shall also be mandated to liaison with stakeholders, conduct sports performance review and suggest policy measure to the government. The board would be required

to develop in coordination integrated sports development policy for development of a sports culture, providing government support and providing for private sector partnering. Facilitating implementation of international obligations shall also be the function of this board. The Task Force draft under which the PSEDIB constitution has been formulated maintains that sports is a provincial subject according to the Constitution of Pakistan.

It has been admitted that there has been no comprehensive approach to ensure development of sports infrastructure throughout the country.PSEDIB can contribute in this regard. The private sector may be invited to manage and maintain its operations under public private partnership.

PSEDIB has also been given the mandate to run educational programmes up to doctorate degree in Physical Education/Sports Sciences. The director general will be appointed on the board of governors’ recommendations and shall be the chief executive of the board. He would be authorised to take action in cases which, in his opinion, require immediate action and report his action to the president or, in his absence, to the vice-president.

Composition of the Board of Governors according to the new proposed constitution would be: Minister-in-Charge of the Administrative Ministry - President. Secretary of the Administrative Ministry — Vice President.

Members: director general of board, chairman Higher Education Commission, president POA, secretary general National Paralympics Committee, secretaries of the four provinces, Gilgit Baltistan and AJK, and any vacancy in board of governors.