PESHAWAR
The first open court in the history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa organized by Directorate General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the instructions of the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said Director General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khalid Khan here on Thursday.
There were scores of questions asked from the players which need to be answered for the welfare of players and betterment of the promotion of sports on priority basis, Khalid Khan said while addressing the participants including sports promoters, coaches, players and other sports officials.
In open court, the players raised their grievances regarding sports, satisfactory answers of DG, assurance of practical steps. All resources would be utilized for the promotion of sports in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Khalid Khan said.
Promotion of sports is one of the top priorities of the present government, he said. Director Operation Syed Saqlain Shah, Deputy Director Mir Bashar Khan, Regional Sports Officer Azizullah Khan, Administrator Qayyum Stadium Jafar Shah, Director Accounts Tariq Khan, Head Coach Shafqatullah, DSO Peshawar Mardan Jamshed Baloch, Administrator was also present.
Players of various sports including cricket, football, table tennis, badminton, taekwondo, gymnastics, weightlifting, judo, karate, volleyball and other games attended. Squash player Hamza Khan’s father said his son has won US Junior U19 Squash, Canadian Open title but no one from the government came up for his appreciation.
The volleyball and basketball players have demanded reopening their respective courts. DG on this occasion said that the PSB hall was closed due to renovation and upon completion of the work, a formal contract would be signed to acquire the hall for volleyball and basketball players so that they could continue their practice.
The gymnastics, badminton, squash and weightlifting players have less time due to lack of halls and more players, DG assured them that a proper mechanism would be unveiled very soon so that maximum numbers of players could get proper time through qualified coaching sessions.
Regarding the unavailability of a gym in Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex, DG said that at present Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex is a magnificent stadium and construction of gym would be completed soon.
Answering a question about Tangi Sports Complex, he said that Tangi Sports Complex covers 56 kanals and construction work is in full swing. He said he, along with AC Akhtar Nawaz, reviewed the ongoing development work, keeping in view the facilities of modern sports in Tangi Sports Complex.
If there is any shortcoming, it will also be adapted to modern requirements, DG said. About the blockade of sports scholarships to 1250 athletes, DG Sports assured that since Oct 2021, the scholarship was pending but now it would be starting from next month.
He said, the players are our heroes and all resources will be spent on their welfare and provision of sports opportunities.
He said that there was no difference between the players of merged districts and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to the sports policy, equal facilities would be provided to both male and female players.
He said that the U21 games have been delayed due to Corona and as soon as the situation improves, these games will be organized.
He said that a program would be organized soon in honor of the players who have taken positions at national and international level and they would be fully encouraged.
