Imran fights terror with cricket

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  • PTI chairman launching hunt for sporting talent as flagship counter-terrorism policy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

 

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan is launching a hunt for sporting talent as a flagship counter-terrorism policy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, an aide said on Friday.

“Terrorism has been very destructive for sports… that is why we are aiming at sports activities to end terrorism in the province,” said Iftikhar Elahi, sports and culture coordinator for the party.

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won a breakthrough at May elections, becoming the country’s third largest party and forming a government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, hard hit by Taliban attacks.

On July 26, suicide bombers killed 57 people in the tribal town of Parachinar, and on Monday Taliban fighters stormed The Dera Ismail Khan prison, freeing more than 240 inmates, including militants.

Elahi said he hoped cricket, which is a national obsession in the country, can bring peace. Khan is Pakistan’s greatest all rounder and captained the country to its only World Cup victory in 1992.

“Our party gives special stress on youth and sports and with Khan as leader and initiator of the programme we hope that it can help bring peace in the province,” Elahi told reporters.

He said the scout for talent was part of the party’s programme to develop what is one of the most deprived parts of Pakistan.

“The programme is aimed at spotting talent in cricket from the province,” he told reporters. “Khan has taken the initiative as part of his development programmes in KP.”

The province has produced greats like Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul in recent years, but militant bomb attacks and shootings have destroyed aspects of daily life.

“Khan will give as much time as possible and we have also hired a few coaches (former players) who will help spot talent and then groom them,” said Elahi.

He also said talks were underway to help build and renovate proper cricket grounds in the province.

The hunt will also be extended to the semi-autonomous tribal belt that neighbours KP, which Washington considers a premier hub of Taliban and al Qaeda operatives who pose a global threat.

8 COMMENTS

  1. Childish. Making light of something as macabre as terrorism. If this is the level of thinking, then God save our future.

    • God has indeed saved the future by giving the power to Nawaz Sharif who with his beloved brother who are habitual people's money laundering experts.

  2. WHAT A RUBBISH COMPARISON.WE DISLIKE THIS FOLLOW UP AND ONLY TO BEFOULING LING THE WHOLE NATION.IF THIS IS THE CRITERIA THEN WHY VICTORIOUS AND RETIRED GENERALS ARE NOT REMEMBERED IN GOOD BOOKS.IMRAN KHAN HAS SOME SORT OF MISJUDGMENT AND MISUNDERSTANDING IN HIS MIND ,WHICH HE MUST REMOVE THAT.ALL MOST IN ALL THE DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES RIGGING IS DONE ,BUT NO HEAD OF THE POLITICAL MADE ITS HONOR AND WORK JOINTLY FOR THE WELFARE OF THE COUNTRY.BUT IN PAKISTAN POLITICS HAS DIFFERENT PHENOMENA.WHICH MUST BE ELIMINATED AND MATURED POLITICS WILL GO ON..I KNOW MY THIS STATEMENT WILL ALSO BE BLOCKED.

    • thats why pakistan is known as a failed state and terrorist capital of world,DIkhan jailbreak is a gud exmple that terrorist r ruling our country,nobody is safe here,thats wat our country is known as dangerous place on earth..

  3. Attack on world trade center in US and three terrorists attacked under ground tubes in UK are two examples of attacks in countries who got everything and security is very tight but still two very bad incidents took place.Pakistan is encircled by many terrorist organizations of the world It can be deplored and must ask security chiefs of Pakistan if they were not sleeping

  4. When Peoples Party has looted the nation of the shallow slogan "democracy is the best revenge", it's B-team PTI is fooling the nation with the slogan "cricket is the est revenge".

    May Allah S.W.T. save Pakistan from these looters and foolers (Aameen).

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