Pak sports face uncertain future in ‘sportsman’ era

The year 2019 dawns with more questions rather answers for the sportspersons, who desperately seek recognition in Pakistan.Unlike major developed states around the world, sports has never been a priority in our country at any level resulting in obvious lack of concern by people, who matter when it comes to deciding the fate of sportsmen, women and all those involved anyway in this most neglected part of our society.After decades of struggle for acknowledgment, a ray of hope has finally emerged last year when a sportsman — Imran Khan — took over the reign of the country.The cricket all-rounder, who emerged as the best in world in early eighties, had been source of inspiration for many sportsmen in the past. Now all eyes are on the same legendary all-rounder who is holding the strings of the government.Admitted that no one knows the problems of an athlete better than the one who belongs to this family, the question arises would it be possible for the premier to help stage revolution in sports in a country desperately needing to show the world about positive traits of this war-trodden society.The year bygone would never be rated as the ideal one for sports at any level. Since PTI government took over the country’s administration, they have stopped even the meager grants, extended to 39 affiliated federations.Majority of these Olympic sports has been receiving Rs1 million to Rs 3.5 million annual grant from the government. For the last eight months though not a single penny has been given to any federation — the reason being that the new government is in process of weighing out the requirements of each and every federation before implementing a new policy. Obviously the regular annual grants these federations have been receiving for the past decade are not enough even to run the offices what to talk about grooming, coaching and training of athletes.So to say that sports promotion is at the standstill since the government of Imran Khan has taken over would be no exaggeration. But those pining hopes and aspirations on the new government, there is a silver lining to all this and it is that the government may go on to increase the annual grants manifold in near future enabling federations get at least the amount necessary to put the system in their respective sports on right track.The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) non-development budget stands at Rs1,050 million with almost 60 to 65 percent of the amount going to administrative expenditures. These include employees’ salaries, maintenance work. Only small percentage goes to the federations as regular annual grant.Apart from this non-development fund, the previous government of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi announced starting an ambitious plan of Rs2 billion for new sports development schemes with the main focus on constructing sports infrastructure in every nook and corner of the country.The scheme that was announced in annual budget in April 2018 never got going.The major chunk of development budget in recent past has been diverted to Narowal Sports Complex that has already eaten up over Rs3 billion with Rs1 billion more is expected to be drawn from the federal government’s kitty in years to come.The Planning Commission has approved another amount of Rs467.010 million for the Narowal project during the financial year.The work on the project that is almost near to completion has already been stopped in the wake of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and FIA investigation on the project that solely consumed all the development budge during the last four years. Three top PSB officials including former Director General PSB Dr Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera are already behind the bars for alleged misappropriation of the funds set forth for the project.It would be no exaggeration again to say that the development work on all sports infrastructure projects is at the standstill. The PSB offices and complex these days are giving deserted look. So far the new government has even failed to give the PSB a new professional Director General.The Board at the moment is at the mercy of raw, unprofessional and ad-hoc officials who are more interested in non-productive time at the offices.During all recent struggling times, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) emerged lucky enough to mint around Rs500 million during the last year as special grant from the federal government.The federal government has already formed a task force headed by none other than the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani and included Jamil Ahmed (secretary IPC) and Ali Raza (legal expert) to look into the flaws and weakness in exciting sports system in Pakistan.The task force has already finalised its report and is expected to meet within a week to make it more result oriented. ‘The News’ has learnt that changes in the task force’s report have been proposed by the patron-in-chief and country’s premier.“Since country is now headed by none other than a top sportsman of the yesteryears, I hope for good future for sports in coming days. If he cannot evolve a system for sports promotion no other ruler can do,” former world champion Jansher Khan, when approached, said. Inam Ahmed Butt, the Commonwealth Games gold medalist wrestler hoped that days were not far away when sportsman and women would get much deserved respect in this country.“I am confident that now when Imran Khan is the Prime Minister, we would get our due and that is respect and support we deserve. It is only in Pakistan that sportsmen struggle, elsewhere they are considered amongst the wealthiest and respected citizens of society.”

from The News International - Sports http://bit.ly/2EZzgga