Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan said the department of sports is very near to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s heart and Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti did wonderful job through his revolutionary measures; she said this while addressing a press conference at the lawns of National Hockey Stadium on Wednesday.
Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh, Director Admin Javed Chohan and other top officials were also present on this occasion.
Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan said Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti fulfilled his responsibility fully and introduced Pakistan’s first ever sports policy under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar. “Definitely it’s unprecedented in national sports history. Sports policy has never been launched in past eras and its all credit goes to Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti and his team for this historic measure”.
Elaborating further, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan said Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti gave a comprehensive roadmap in the sports policy about the promotion of sports across the province. “The main focus has been given to holding of top sports events and activities, talent hunt, sports development measures and welfare of sports persons in the sports policy,” she added.
Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan further said Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti took several other valuable measures for the growth of sports culture in the province including revival of Punjab Games and Sports Calendar.
Criticising Shahbaz Sharif, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan said the department of sports was totally ignored during the previous era. “Material of Orange Train and Metro Bus projects was dumped in most of the sports grounds and playfields of Lahore and youth of the city was deprived of their playing rights at these venues, she added.
Elaborating the key features of Punjab govt for the promotion of sports, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said there was a complete deadlock in the field of sports during the past eras. “There was no sports strategy or planning in Shahbaz Sharif’s tenure. Everybody knows that they are still facing wrath of NAB due to their corruption in Punjab Youth Festival,” he informed.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti informed that Punjab’s first-ever sports policy has been submitted in Punjab cabinet and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar will launch this policy in near future. “Under the sports policy, competitive sports events will be conducted at village, tehsil, district, divisional and provincial level. Besides this, the focus has also been put on talent hunt, coaching and training, career counseling of young athletes, health insurance, welfare of sports community etc in our compact sports policy”.
“This policy is designed purely for players and sports community. Monthly stipend will also be given to deserving athletes. We also revived and organized Punjab Games after the gap of eight years. Over 3000 athletes took part in tehsil, district, divisional and provincial level sports competitions during these games. Punjab Games have been made part of our Annual Sports Calendar,” Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti told.
Responding to a question, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti further informed: “We are constructing sports complexes in 61 tehsils of Punjab with all necessary facilities instead of irrelevant luxuries. We got 160 sports from previous era out of which 115 are on verge of completion”.
Replying a query, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said that all sports events and activities will begin fully after the eradication of Covid-19 pandemic. “Rs 400m have also been allocated for the completion of under-construction squash complex in Nishtar Park Sports Complex”.
Later, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan also gave answers and flayed the tactics of opposition leaders including Maryam Nawaz, Bilawal Bhutto and Maulana Fazlur Rehman saying that they can’t pose any threat to our democratic and legitimate govt through their negative and illogical propaganda.