ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) Tuesday recommended that sports federations should be made independent and their funds must be enhanced for promoting sports activities.
The IPC meeting was held here at the Parliament House under the Chairmanship of Abdul Qahar Khan Wadan in which briefing was given on hockey affairs by Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Shahbaz Ahmed Sr.
He said that a national hockey center was needed in order to attract youth towards the game. “By establishing a national hockey center it would improve the game” “These days kids are more focused on cricket,” he said.
The committee also recommended that PHF must bring in private sponsors for boosting the game of hockey in the country.
In the meeting a comprehensive briefing was also given on livestock and dairy development, Animal Quarantine regarding export of animals to Iran and Afghanistan through Baluchistan, establishment of an independent and permanent secretariat for Council of Common Interest (CCI) with provincial representation, working and performance of IPC and HEC over the scholarship quota for veterinary education (Clinical Purposes).
The IPC Minister also agreed with the committee that a free hand should be given to the hockey federation.
The committee further recommended that the government should initiate steps so that in future, no private school should be awarded NOC without fulfilling the requirement of a reasonable playground and sports facilities to the students.
Appointing of the new director general (DG) Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) was also discussed in the meeting, to which the committee constituted a sub-committee to set the criteria for the selection of new DG.
The meeting was attended by Rana Muhammad Hayat Khan, Sardar Muhammad Shafqat Hayat Khan, Begum Tahira Bukhari, Ms Sabiha Nazir, Dr Mahreen Razzaque Bhutto, Siraj Muhammad Khan, Mujahid Ali, Engineer Muhammad Usman Badini, the federal minister and officers of the Inter-Provincial Coordination Ministry, Sind Livestock secretary and KPK AQD Director, HEC executive director, Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council (PVMC) president and others.