ISLAMABAD: After a long gap of seven years, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) met here on Thursday, during which several important decisions were made including the approval of the national anti-doping governing board.
The 11-member PSB board headed by Federal Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination (IPC) Dr Fehmida Mirza held its first meeting after its restructuring by federal cabinet last December.
Earlier, the board which had 37 members when it last met back in the year 2013, was reduced to 11.
In an important decision, the board approved the formation of an anti-doping governing board to foster doping-free sports culture in the country.
This governing board will comprise representatives from the PSB, Pakistan Cricket Board, Pakistan Olympic Association and officials from health and law ministries.
It will protect the rights of athletes besides maintaining the integrity of sports and will also raise awareness among sportspersons about the consequences of doping.
The PSB also decided that government funding will be provided only on the basis of the performance delivered by the national sports federations (NSFs). It also decided that funds will be given only to legitimate NSFs having a proper structure from local club/tehsil to national level.
The PSB directed NSFs to submit their annual activity calendar along with budget estimates during the month of March for the next financial year so that their proposals could be incorporated into the PSB budget.
It was also decided that NSFs will submit their statement of accounts duly audited by a reputable audit firm for the previous financial year and the government grant would be released only on the receipt of these accounts.
The board also discussed the scope and functions of PSB Board in the wake of 18th Constitutional Amendment, stating that board necessitates the paradigm shift in the working of the Board.
It was also highlighted at Thursday’s meeting that there is an urgent need to curtail unnecessary expenses in order to increase revenue generation for sporting activities in line with the vision of the government.
The Board also decided to approve the engagement of a professional consultant to carry out restructuring and revamping of the PSB to make it a professional, efficient and effective entity.
The board also ratified the administrative, sports activities and repair/maintenance expenditure incurred by the PSB. It also allowed the PSB to upgrade or develop sports infrastructure through private sector on gratis basis after the completion of all procedural formalities.
Dr Fehmida told the house that the present government has allocated Rs1949.606 million for the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for repair/renovation and upgradation of the existing facilities at the Pakistan Sports Complex and Rs295.572 million for the current fiscal year for PSB Coaching Centre Peshawar, keeping in view holding of upcoming international events in the country.
Meanwhile, POA president retired Lt Gen Arif Hasan briefed the meeting about holding of the 14th South Asian Games in Pakistan.
The Minister for IPC responded: “We will hold another exclusive meeting of the Board wherein, the whole issue will be deliberated for decision regarding the South Asian Games.”
Speaking on the occasion, Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) president retired Maj Gen Mohammad Akram Sahi told the meeting that he could hold an Asian-level athletics competition in Pakistan, provided the government gave the event proper patronage.
He also briefed the meeting about Pakistan’s star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem who qualified for the next Olympics. Arshad, Sahi added, was the only Pakistani athlete who qualified directly for the Olympics and had the potential to win medals if he was provided training of international standards.
The meeting was also attended by secretary of the Ministry of IPC Ghufran Memon, Services Sports Control Board president Rear Admiral Moazzam Ilyas, NESPAK managing director Tahir Masood, businessman Shafique Abbasi, advisor of the Higher Education Commission Awais Ahmed, DDG PSB Mansoor Ahmed Khan and DDG Mohammad Azam Dar of PSB.
