Sports policy to be sent to law ministry for vetting

ISLAMABAD: The proposed National Sports Policy 2021 will be vetted from the Law Ministry to avoid any post-implementation legal implications.

In a high-level meeting on Friday evening, Prime Minister Imran Khan was briefed on the plans of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination to implement the new sports policy to get the desired results and to bring the working of the sports federations and related departments under the direct control of the ministry and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB). Salient features of the establishment of government backed Election Commission to conduct federations’ elections and Dispute Resolution Commission was also discussed.

The meeting that was attended by representatives of all the provincial governments (minister or secretaries) was meant to brief the prime minister on the sports development plans as well as ministry/PSB plans to put the working of all sports federations under the direct control of government.

“In all likelihood we will have to send the new proposed sports policy 2021 to the Law Ministry. To avoid any legal implications after its implementations, it is important that it gets a legal cover,” a source who was privy to the meeting when contacted said.

The meeting that lasted for one hour considered the working of PSB that has virtually become a white elephant these days.

“The recent appointment of DG PSB was also discussed with the PM eager to know what criterion was followed to appoint the new DG.”

PM was also briefed on the salient features of the new PSB constitution that has been given go ahead by the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases.

The provincial governments’ role in sports promotion following the devolution of powers in 2012 came under discussion. The PM was also briefed on the annual central and provincial sports budget.