Ministry seeks details of event’s spending from PSB

ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) while reacting to a news item appearing in ‘The News’ has asked the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to furnish complete details of one million rupees spent on the one-day show meant for special athletes.

The mini event that started in the evening on September 3 and concluded the next day saw total mismanagement in handling plus boarding and lodging of the special athletes.

In a letter addressed to Director General Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), the IPC ministry called for a complete breakup of all the expenditure on the event that lasted only 15 hours.

On that specific day, mismanagement was seen at its peak from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) for the hurriedly organised two-day event for Special and Para Olympics athletes at the Pakistan Sports Complex. The restricted event meant for only 150 athletes that was given the name of Games was so ill-planned that just a couple of hours before the start of the opening ceremony, the venue was shifted from Rodham Hall to Jinnah Stadium.

When ‘The News’ approached Arif Ibrahim, Director General PSB who was in Lahore Wednesday in connection with the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) meeting, said that a good amount of money was spent on giving cash incentives and medals to the participating athletes.

“We are about to send details of the money we have spent on the Games. We have given cash incentives and medals to the special athletes. The good amount of the money we spent there. All details would be sent to the ministry.”

It is not clear yet whether the medal winners were given incentives through cheques or cash. A very limited group of special athletes received the incentives as in majority of disciplines, only two athletes competed.