Minister defers PSB’s meeting due to controversial agenda

ISLAMABAD: Some controversial agenda items forced the postponement of the Pakistan Sports Board’s (PSB) Board meeting scheduled with the Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination to take stock of all the developments that happened in the past before putting these for members’ approval.

A well-placed source has told ‘The News’ that on the instructions of Minister for IPC Ehsan Ur Rehman, who is also president of the Board, the meeting had been postponed.

“One must praise the minister here that instead of going ahead with the discussion and approval of some of the controversial items, the Board’s meeting has been postponed for the time being. The majority of items were those which either were decided during Dr Fehmida Mirza’s tenure as minister or the one that has no legal background.”

‘The News’ has learnt that it has been decided to review all the important points.

“The present government will review all the decision taken during the previous regime before presenting these in the Board for approval,” the source added.

These include the controversial Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) constitution that was passed recently.

“Since the minister belongs to Pakistan People’s Party, known for its labour and workers friendly policies, it has decided to reconsider the constitution that is against the interest of workers. Hence it has been decided to review all these matters.”

‘The News’ has also learnt that there has been serious resentment among the PSB workers, officers and other members of the Board on what they called an anti-worker, anti-athlete and anti-sports constitution approved during Dr Fehmida Mirza’s tenure as the minister for IPC.

“Ehsan Ur Rehman is from the PPP – the party that always supported the working class. Fighting for the labour and workers, for low-paid officials has been the forte of the party. We have taken up the matter with the minister and are hopeful that this controversial constitution would be repealed,” one of the longest-serving PSB officials said.

The Board that was constituted in February 2022 includes the majority of the members having a close association with the PTI. There have been concerns about the inclusion of some members who have a close association with the previous party.

“Usually, the new government reconstitutes a fresh Board. It has been normal practice. It is expected that the minister will make some adjustments in the formation of the Board. The new PSB constitution will also be under scrutiny in coming days,” a source within the ministry said.

The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) Executive Committee has recently also declared the new PSB constitution as an anti-Olympic Charter.

“All Executive Board members were unanimous in declaring the PSB constitution as an anti-Olympic Charter.

The constitution is totally against the norms of international sports. No federation can go against its international (parent) body. This reported constitution is even against every parent association,” POA observed in its meeting.