APP
PESHAWAR
Senior Minister for Sports, Tourism and Youth Affairs Muhammad Atif Khan Thursday said that the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has allocated a record 7.5 billion for the development of sports infrastructure and want to bring the tribal youth back at par with other develop areas of the country.
Talking to APP soon after meeting with recently appointed Vice Chairman of the Sports and Youth Management Committee, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shahid Khan Shinwari, hailing from tribal districts, the Minister disclosed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government issues more than Rs. 10 billion funds for various sports projects including Rs. 7.5 billions only for tribal districts.
He said efforts afoot to bring the tribal youth at bar with the youth of other part of the country because they have good talent and need timely support. Most of the funds have been released for various sports schemes in tribal districts, he said,
He said according to the vision of the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, steps have been taken to involve the youth of tribal districts in different competitions and the govt has allocated Rs. 1 billion only for holding 42 sports competitions in the seven tribal districts including North Waziristan, South Waziristan, Orakzai, Khurram, Khyber, Mohmand, Bajaur and six sub-districts including Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, Lakki, Dera Ismail Khan and Tank, which had earlier been called as FRs.
He said merged areas have 13 units consisting of 7 districts and 6 sub-divisions and establishment of Sports Complexes in all 7 districts and Mini-Sports Complexes at Sub-Divisional level. He said for this Rs. 7500 millions have been allocated under Accelerated Implantation Program (AIP). Muhammad Atif Khan said under Rs. 1000 million for sports activities in all units of merged areas in which over all 184000 players will participate in these activities, both male and female. He said all such players would be taking part in 42 different games.
Certainly involving such a good number of youth, more talent would come up at national and international levels. He said Rs. 7.5 million has been released for the up-gradation of Sports Complexes in Mardan, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Haripur and Rs 20 million approved for Indoor Gymnasium in district Buner, Rs 50 million has been released for various sports schemes in Mardan and up-gradation of Mardan Sports Complex like laying of synthetic turf for athletics.
He said Pakistan ruled the squash world for 37 long year and most of the talent came from a small village Nawa Khali but now steps have been taken for the promotion of squash across provincial capital and a sum of Rs 25 million has been released to construct 20 squash courts in the first phase while similarly each of the districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including merged tribal districts would be equipped with international standard Squash Courts.
He said, according to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision, revolutionary steps are being taken by the govt. to promote sports phases wise and that is why Khyber Pakhtukhwa is hosting the 33rd edition of the National after a lapse of eight years in Peshawar.
Senior Minister Muhammad Atif Khan assured that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would hold 33rd National Games by all mean and every step would be taken to ensure all facilities.
