ISLAMABAD, Nov 19 (APP): The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) has instructed the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to ensure all sports federations formulate rules and by-laws within 30 days.
The Committee which met at the Pakistan Sports Board on Tuesday under the Chairmanship of Member National Assembly (MNA) Muhammad Sana Ullah Khan Mastikhel, was given a comprehensive briefing on the performance, operation and coordination with 44 federations of Pakistan Sports board (PSB).
The Director General, PSB, briefed the Committee that Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), operating under the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), continues to lead the development and promotion of sports across the country. Established under the Sports (Development and Control) Ordinance of 1962, the PSB serves as the central authority for regulating sports, fostering international-standard competitions, and coordinating with 44 National Sports Federations (NSFs).
With state-of-the-art facilities in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, and Peshawar, the PSB has successfully hosted numerous national and international events and training camps, he said.
He added that over the last five years, the PSB has trained over 4,000 athletes and 573 coaches while facilitating the participation of Pakistani teams in international competitions, which resulted in 154 medals, including 38 gold. Initiatives such as the establishment of the Arshad Nadeem High-Performance Academy and the upgrading of sports infrastructure highlight the PSB’s commitment to excellence, he said.
He was of thr veiw that PSB disbursed grants exceeding Rs One billion and awarded Rs 45.25 million to medal-winning athletes. Hosting prestigious events like the Asian Taekwondo Championships and the West Asia Baseball Cup further underscores its dedication to promoting sports at the highest level, he said.
The Committee was also briefed on the persistent challenges faced by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), which is affiliated with PSB, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and FIFA.
Since 2011, prolonged leadership disputes, internal conflicts, and legal battles have severely hindered the PFF’s progress which resulted in formation of a Normalization Committee (NC) in 2019 by FIFA to stabilize operations and ensure transparent elections.
However, the NC has encountered repeated obstacles, such as allegations of unfair club registrations and continued internal disputes.
The crisis deepened in 2021 following an incident at the PFF headquarters, Football House Lahore, which prompted FIFA to suspend the federation.
While FIFA has extended the NC’s mandate until March 2024, stakeholders have expressed growing dissatisfaction, underscoring the urgent need for an independent and credible resolution.
The government remains actively engaged with FIFA to address these challenges and restore stability to the PFF. Efforts are underway to rebuild trust and ensure the sustainable development of football at all levels across Pakistan.
Meanwhile the Committee has directed PSB to present an appreciation award and a prize to Rameez Ibrahim for winning of the gold medal in the weightlifting competition.
The Committee further instructed the PSB to ensure that all federations formulate rules and by-laws within 30 days. Additionally, the Director General PSB was directed to conduct an audit of the federations.
Keeping in view the serious challenges being faced by the PFF, the Committee while acknowledging the PSB’s performance, despite meager budget allocations, recommended that the government may enhance the budgetary provision.
The DG, PSB was also directed to provide the breakup of the development and non-development budget of the PSB.
The meeting was attended by MNA’s Muhammad Idrees, Anjum Aqeel Khan, Sheikh Aftab Ahmed, Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Nasir, Haji Rasool Bux Chandio, Syeda Shehla Raza, Dr. Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto, Muhammad Iqbal Khan and Khawaja Izhar Ul Hassan along with Secretary IPC and heads of the attached departments.