Review of Sports Policy: Body members still await PSB notification

ISLAMABAD: One month into the announcement of the committee formation to review National Sports Policy, no official notification has been issued as yet enabling members to start the process to rewrite the document according to the modern requirements and in line with the 18th amendment.

A five-member committee was formed following the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Executive Committee meeting on June 8. The PSB directed the committee members to complete recommendations within a month so that these could be sent to all the stakeholders for their review and consideration.

The National Sports Policy was first formed in 2001 and then was reviewed in 2005. It was never revisited following the 18th amendment and a realistic approach was never adopted considering the changing scenario, especially ground realities as the majority of powers from there on shifted to provinces.

It has been empowered to finalise the initial draft in one month time. The committee has been given the task to look into the sports policy, suggest changes according to the prevailing scenario and finalise the initial draft. The draft will then be circulated amongst all stakeholders for their consideration and review.

It was mentioned by the Ministry of IPC that after getting the feedback from the stakeholders, the final draft would be forwarded for prime minister’s approval. Surprisingly no PSB notification for the formation of the committee has so far been issued.

One of the sports federation members when contacted in Lahore said that over a month had passed and there had been no notification. “At the time of committee formation, the Ministry of IPC was adamant that the committee should complete its job within a month. Over a month has passed and we have no notification even. This is how the system works here,” he said.

When ‘The News’ approached a PSB official, he said that the board was waiting for the minutes of the meeting. “We have yet to get meeting minutes in which the decision on the formation of the committee was taken. Once we receive that the notification will be issued,” he said.