Ministry begins consulting federations on National Sports Policy

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) has started getting feedback from the selected sports federations on the new National Sports Policy that was finalised last month but could not get the required approval from the top.

‘The News’ has learnt from well-placed sources that Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) president Salim Saifullah Khan was the first federation’s head who met Minister for IPC Dr Fehmida Mirza Thursday to discuss the way forward to formulate a controversy-free sports policy.

“The meeting, which was also participated by Secretary IPC Mohsin Mushtaq Chandna and Director General Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Col (r) Asif Zaman, discussed the policy for about an hour. Saifullah gave his recommendations and hoped that these would be made part of the policy,” a source within the ministry said.

Saifullah was part of a Sports Policy Review Committee formed following June 8, 2020, PSB Executive Committee’s meeting. The committee was never officially notified. The sports policy was finalised last month and sent to the concerned authorities for approval. The reports emerging from the ministry say that it was suggested from the top that feedback from the stakeholders should be included before giving sports policy a final shape.

Saifullah, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Brig (r) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, and Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) secretary Mohammad Khalid Mehmood while talking to ‘The News’ last month were of the opinion that taking the input from all the stakeholders was a must before giving a final shape to any such policy.

The IPC minister on Wednesday first held a virtual meeting with the provincial sports ministers and now has started a series of meeting with the federation’s officials with Saifullah being the first person.

The minister in Wednesday’s meeting with the provincial ministers stressed the need for spreading sports facilities to every nook and corner of the country. “A unified sport policy always helps in earning a country its deserved international status.”

Dr Fehmida also stressed the need to make sports part of school activities.

The major stakeholder — Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) — is yet to be invited for any such meeting.

“No one from the ministry has approached us so far on our feedback regarding sports policy. We have not been informed of any such move. No one from the ministry has invited us for any such meeting where the policy will be discussed,” Mohammad Khalid Mehmood, secretary POA, said.

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 the Centre shifted to provinces.

There is a greater need to review the policy with the consent of stakeholders and following a thorough discussion. When the National Sports Policy was finalised at the turn of century for the very first time all the leading stakeholders were invited for discussion and deliberations. Several open debates were conducted on its importance.

Besides taking federations and POA in confidence, journalists community, sponsors, and Anti-Doping Authority of Pakistan is also required to be taken on board before finalising such a policy.

“The sports policy is not for the ministry but for the stakeholders and as such an open debate should be conducted. It is not something that should be finalized while sitting in isolation or behind closed doors. Prime Minister Imran Khan always advocated for open debate before finalizing any thorny issue,” a federation official said.