Islamabad, December 6, 2024 – The Europe Today: Speakers at a high-level roundtable discussion underlined the urgent need for a comprehensive national sports policy in Pakistan, emphasizing the involvement of all relevant stakeholders. They stressed the critical role of sports in fostering national unity and combating extremism while voicing concerns over the lack of a robust grassroots structure for sports development. Major challenges highlighted included policymakers’ neglect, flawed strategies, insufficient facilities for athletes, and lack of coordination among stakeholders, compounded by government officials’ reluctance to engage with those managing sports at various levels.
The event, titled “Charting the Course of Pakistan’s Sports: Achievements and Challenges,” was organized by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) in collaboration with the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) and the Department of Arts and Media at Foundation University. It was held at the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) and brought together prominent voices from Pakistan’s sports community.
Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Program, Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, graced the event as the chief guest. He was joined by notable figures from Pakistan’s sports community, including legendary hockey player and former captain Shehbaz Ahmed Senior, Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh, Olympian Sadaf Siddiqui, former squash champion Qamar Zaman, tennis star Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, Associate Secretary General of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) Rizwan ul Haq Razi, renowned sports journalist Abdul Mohi Shah, Managing Director of PICSS Abdullah Khan, Senior Research Fellow at IRS Dr Rizwan Naseer, Head of Foundation University Arts and Media Studies Dr. Hina Shahid, President of Alpine Club of Pakistan Abu Zafar Sadiq, Joint Secretary of the Pakistan Basketball Federation Ouj-e-Zahoor, Dean of the Department of Social Sciences at Sarhad University Dr. Abdul Waheed Mughal, National Athlete Yasir Sultan, Rugby Coach Romail Ashraf, Chairman of the Private Schools Association Almas Ayub Saber, and other distinguished guests.
In his address, Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan emphasized the transformative power of sports in uniting people across diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. “Sports provide a platform to bring individuals together, fostering teamwork, cooperation, and mutual respect—qualities that are vital for national cohesion,” he stated. He reaffirmed the government’s resolve, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to create opportunities for young athletes to excel internationally.
He also highlighted sports as an effective means of steering youth away from extremism. “In a country grappling with terrorism, sports serve as a constructive outlet for young people to channel their energy into positive pursuits. They promote discipline and teamwork, critical in countering extremist ideologies,” he remarked.
Other speakers underscored the pressing need for enhanced collaboration between policymakers, sports organizations, and private stakeholders to revitalize Pakistan’s sports infrastructure. Calls were made for greater investment in grassroots programs to nurture emerging talent and the provision of better facilities for athletes.
The roundtable concluded with a collective commitment to advancing collaborative efforts and ensuring that sports play a pivotal role in Pakistan’s development on both domestic and global stages.
