All stakeholders responsible for sports decline: DG PSB

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Director General Col (r) Asif Zaman Friday admitted that decline in sports’ standard was result of a collective failure.

“No single stakeholder should be blamed for this downfall. We all are responsible for this downfall and we all must look for a way out.”

The PSB official said that instead of getting involved in blame game, every stakeholder should concentrate on fulfilling its duty.

“We should avoid getting involved in blame game. All must start working together to promote sports,” he said during the meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on IPC.

MNA from Karachi Iqbal Mohammad Ali questioned the PSB’s handling of the affairs in Karachi.

“PSB Coaching Centre in Karachi is being run by a grade 12 official. There is no system of accountability when it comes to funds’ spending by the PSB as last year they spent Rs22 crores on roads within the complex,” the MNA said.

The PSB director general added that he took over only in March 2021. “I am not responsible for last year’s expenditures.”

On Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), Iqbal Mohammad Ali said the government should have imposed its writ in 2014. “Why you fail there.”

Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Dr Fehmida Mirza also spoke on the occasion, saying that major financial resources shifted to the provinces following the devolution of various ministries.

“The new sports policy would soon be tabled before the cabinet for the approval. Everyone will have to follow the policy in the best interest of the sports in the country,” she said during the meeting.