Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar has presided over an important meeting at the National Hockey Stadium on Thursday.
Major sports events and the Sports Endowment Fund were discussed in detail during meeting. Several key decisions were made regarding the future of sports in the province, with a strong emphasis on improving the welfare of athletes. A thorough briefing was given about the progress of the Chief Minister Internship Programme and e-Bikes during the meeting.
The meeting was attended by Director General Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Khizer Afzaal Chaudhry, Additional Secretary Mian Usman Ali, Director Admin Dr M Kaleem, Director Sports Rana Nadeem Anjum, and Director Youth Affairs Syed Umair Hassan.
Addressing the meeting, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar directed the officials to launch preparations for the upcoming Pink Games, School Games, and Khelta Punjab Games. “The number of athletes participating in the Chief Minister’s Pink Games 2025 will double as compared to previous editions. Additionally, the Khelta Punjab Games 2026 will feature over 250,000 athletes from across the province and the preparations for the School Games have also been commenced”.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar emphasised the promotion of traditional Punjabi sports, such as Kabaddi, stating that a top-tier team would be formed. “The kabaddi competitions will initially take place at the city level and later will be expanded to the provincial level”.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar highlighted the need for sports coaches to deliver their best performance in order to enhance athletes' skills. “A pool of over 500 of the best athletes from across Punjab is being developed to nurture top talent,” he added.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar also directed that a strategy be formulated to increase the amount of Sports Endowment Fund from Rs 2 billion to Rs 4 billion. “Athletes under this fund are currently receiving monthly stipends in the Platinum, Diamond, and Gold categories, amounting to Rs 70,000, Rs 50,000, and Rs 30,000 respectively. Additionally, the number of internships and their financial allocations will be doubled next year,” he informed.