Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs and Chairman Sports Board Punjab (SBP) Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar presided over a general body meeting of Sports Board Punjab at the National Hockey Stadium on Thursday.
MNA Saad Wasim, MPA Ajmal Khan Chandia, Home Secretary Punjab Nur ul Amin Mengal, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Muzaffar Khan Sial, Director General Sports Punjab Pervez Iqbal, DG PITB Sajid Latif, Secretary Punjab Olympic Association (PbOA) Idris Haider Khawaja, Marketing Head of Bank of Punjab Asad Zia, Director GC University Waseem Akhtar, Arshad Sattar from Pakistan Wrestling Federation, Umer Aslam from PTV, Director Sports Kinnaird College Ammara Rubab and officers from Finance, Schools Education, P&D and Industry Departments also participated in the meeting.
Director General Sports Punjab Pervez Iqbal gave an in-depth briefing to participants of the meeting about multiple features, achievements and functions of Sports Board Punjab.
The performance report of Sports Board Punjab for 2023-24 was also presented in the meeting. Documentaries of Pink Games and Azadi Marathon were screened at the meeting. All the participants highly appreciated the successful holding of Pink Games and Azadi Marathon.
The meeting also decided to increase the salary of the engagement staff of Sports Board Punjab by 15%. The audit report from 2017 to 2023 was presented in the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar said that all members of Sports Board Punjab are a bouquet of flowers. “Arshad Nadeem is the member of Sports Board Punjab and the whole nation is proud of him”.
He said next year, 5,000 athletes will participate in the Women's Pink Games 2025. “The Pink Games will also be included in the Annual Sports Calendar. Besides this, a brand ambassador will be appointed for Pink Games”.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar said that an official Complaint Cell of Sports Board Punjab will be established. “Through this cell, all the players will lodge their any kind of complaints and their complaints will be removed instantly. Besides this, a youth channel of Sports Board Punjab will also be launched”.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar further said that 10 lakh athletes will participate in the next edition of Khailta Punjab Games. “The honorarium of young talented athletes of the province has been increased to Rs 15 thousand,” he informed.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar said that we believe in transparency and our every sports activity and management affairs will be crystal clear. “Punjab Games will be played in four phases - inter-club, inter-tehsil, inter-district and inter-division”.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar said that record payments of Rs 70,000, Rs 50,000, Rs 30,000 will be given to the top performing players for one year through the Sports Endowment Fund.
Punjab Home Secretary Nur ul Amin Mengal, on this occasion lauded Punjab Sports Endowment Fund saying that the Endowment Fund will play a key role for the true welfare of sportspersons. “This fund will help a lot in tracing fresh talented athletes from all divisions of the Punjab province”.
Punjab Home Secretary Nur ul Amin Mengal further said that sports sessions should be revived at schools and this practice will play a vital role in the promotion of sports and finding true future sports stars from grassroots level. He also called to establish District Sports Committees and provide funds to all sports associations of the province.
Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Muzaffar Khan Sial said that Sports Board Punjab is using all resources for the promotion of sports across the province. “The Punjab Sports Endowment Fund has been launched for the true growth of sports culture all over the Punjab province,” he elaborated.
Director General Sports Punjab Pervez Iqbal, on this occasion, said that 200 sportspersons will be honored through endowment fund. “Sports Board Punjab is taking effective measures for the welfare of players community,” he added.
Director General Sports Punjab Pervez Iqbal said that Punjab is the nursery of highly talented sportsmen of the country. “Fifteen Punjab teams have been formed which will represent Sports Board Punjab in Quaid-e-Azam Games and National Games,” he added.