LAHORE : Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti presided over the 3rd meeting of Sports Board Punjab’s General Body at National Hockey Stadium the other day.
Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh gave a detailed briefing about the development schemes and other key features in the General Body meeting. The expenditures and budget of Sports Board Punjab for the fiscal year 2021-22 were approved during the meeting. The installation of Solar System in Nishtar Park Sports Complex, the establishment of Sports Medicine Clinic/Lab, and hiring of a Marketing Agency were also approved during the meeting.
The meeting also approved the setting up of a Sports Science Lab in Nishtar Park Sports Complex under Public-Private Partnership and construction of kick-boxing shed, futsal grounds, basketball court and ring for boxing and powerlifting venue at Nishtar Park Sports Complex. A committee under the chairmanship of Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Fuad Hashim Rabbani was also approved to name Punjab’s sports facilities after the national heroes. Addressing the meeting, Punjab Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said the Punjab govt in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan is taking effective measures for the growth of sports culture across the province. “We will also construct sports gyms in all jails of the province. Work is also under progress for the revival of sports period in educational institutions”. Rai Taimoor said Punjab’s first-ever Sports Policy has been approved by the Punjab Cabinet and now the sports culture will be revived in the province in true sense after the approval of Sports Policy. “Under the new Sports Policy, two High Performance Centres for the promotion of cricket will be constructed in Sialkot and Faisalabad. Moreover, a Hockey High Performance Centre equipped with all modern facilities will also be constructed in Lahore. The game of hockey will definitely grow among the young generation after the construction of this latest facility,” he added.
He said soft sports grounds and tehsil sports complexes are being built across the province. “The holding of dozens of sports events in connection with 75th Independence Day of the country is a highly positive move”. In his address, Vice-Chairman Sports Board Punjab Rao Zahid Qayyum said the promotion of sports culture in the province particularly in far-flung areas has been top priority of Punjab govt. “The sports culture will certainly grow in all parts of the province after the completion of above-mentioned sports projects”. Vice-Chairman SBP Rao Zahid Qayyum, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Fuad Hashim Rabbani, DG Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh, MPAs Ms Talath Fatima Naqvi and Aisha Ch, Director Admin Javed Chohan, DG PITB, Saqib Wazir, Coach of Pak women football team Ms Kiran Ilyas Ghouri and representatives of all departments also attended the meeting.
