Holistic sports policy to be formulated for sports, athletes’ development: Fehmida

ISLAMABAD, Oct 26 (APP):Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Dr Fehmida Mirza Friday said a holistic
sports policy would be formulated for the development of sports and
professional uplift of the athletes.
“It will be a unified sports policy. We’ll take on board all
the four provinces and other stakeholders and incorporate their recommendations
in it,” she said while talking to media after a reception in the honour of athletes
Haidar Ali and Arshad Nadeem.
Haidar won two gold and one bronze medals in the third Paralympics,
while Arshad claimed bronze medal in the 18th Asian Games in javelin throw after a
gap of 27 years.
The minister said after the
18th constitutional amendment sports had become a provincial subject adding that two
provinces – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab had almost finalized their sports
policies while Balochistan and Sindh would also be asked to work towards that
direction.
She said a meeting of provincial sports ministers would be held
in Islamabad next week to discuss ways to develop sports in the country. “Formulation
of sports policy would also be discussed in that meeting”, she said.
Fehmida appreciated athletes Haidar Ali and Arshad Nadeem for keeping country’s flag
high through their remarkable performance.
She also hailed Haidar and Arshad’s coach for putting in all his efforts to train them.
She said a summary for been forwarded to the Prime Minister for grant of rewards to medal-winning athletes.
Fehmida noted that sports had never been a priority in Pakistan and funding for sports had
always been very low. She underlined the need for public-private partnership
for encouraging the sportspersons.
“We all need to work together for encouragement of our athletes and betterment of sports in the country”, she added.