Implementation of Sports Policy: KP govt asked to take stakeholders on board

ISLAMABAD: As the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has started implementation of the sports policy, the KP Olympic Association in an emergent meeting Monday called for making necessary amendments to ensure the continuous coordination between all the stakeholders.

KP Olympic Association President Aqil Shah while talking to ‘The News’ said the meeting had rejected the policy that was finalised without taking stakeholders into confidence. “We were not taken into confidence when the policy was finalised two years back. Now when the provincial government has started its implementation by writing letters to all the affiliated units to execute the policy, we came to know there are some points which are not implementable. We urge the KP government to review the sports policy,” he said.

The Ministry for IPC last month had urged all the provincial governments to give their respective policy a final shape and start implementing it in letter and spirit. The Centre is also in process of making changes in the policy that was finalised in 2001 and reviewed four years later.

“Neither I have seen this policy before nor the provincial government had made it public. I came to know about the final document a few days back. Had I seen it earlier, I would have taken up the matter with the government before the National Games hosted by Peshawar,” Aqil said.

When ‘The News’ approached KP Sports Board Director General Asfandyar Khattak, he said that everyone concerned with the provincial sports was invited to discuss the issues. “We have all the record with us and now when we have started implementation we have gone through that record again. KP Olympic Association was also invited to participate in the meeting and Associate Secretary Amjad Khan has attended one of the meetings. We had set the floor open and also have some recommendations of sports bodies with us,” he added.

Asfandyar said the KP government was ready to sit with KP Olympic Association’s officials even today. “If they have any issue we can sit with stakeholders and would try to resolve it,” he said.

The DG, however, added that all those KP sports bodies which get financial benefits from the provincial government will have to follow rules and regulations. “Sports bodies having no financial interest with the KP Sports Board or government have nothing to do with us. We will never force them to follow our rules but those getting financial benefits will have to follow these rules,” he said.

The notification issued last week says that the sports policy is aimed at promoting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a center of sporting activities and to make Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a preferred destination for national and international sports events.

According to the Para-7(i) (b) Strategy-II (i), to achieve the ultimate goal of a healthy society and sports promotion, the private individuals, ex-sportspersons and sports loving community organisations be attracted and facilitated to establish fully-equipped sports facilities and engage experienced coaches to run these facilities.