ISLAMABAD: A member of the National Assembly from Balochistan, Khushal Khan Kakar, has offered between 100 and 1,000 kanals of free land for the construction of a sports complex in the province.
The announcement came during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination, which discussed football development, grassroots talent identification and coordination between the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) and provincial sports authorities.
Committee Calls for Grassroots Football Development
The committee, chaired by Sheikh Aftab Ahmed, called for greater efforts to identify and develop football talent at the grassroots level.
Members stressed the need for stronger coordination between the Pakistan Football Federation and provincial authorities. The committee also directed PFF President Mohsin Gilani to personally attend its next meeting.
During the briefing, Gilani said he was in Bishkek for the Nomad Games and that the PFF had trained around 400 young trainers during the year.
He also highlighted the performance of Pakistan’s Under-17 team and called for greater attention to club development.
PFF Highlights Women’s Football and New Talent
Gilani said Pakistan’s women’s football team was performing well and that further improvements were being pursued, including the hiring of foreign coaches.
He said the federation was working on coordination with football authorities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Baku while focusing on developing new talent.
He also said the PFF had registered on FIFA’s digital platform for the first time.
Committee Questions Coordination With Provinces
Committee member Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto stressed the need to promote football at the grassroots level, saying a stronger local football structure was essential for developing young players who could represent Pakistan internationally.
PFF officials acknowledged that coordination with provincial authorities had not been as effective as required and assured the committee that efforts would be made to address the issue.
The committee also asked provincial authorities to clarify the extent of their coordination with the PFF.
PFF Chief Operating Officer Muhammad Shahid acknowledged gaps in coordination and assured the committee that complaints in this regard would be addressed.
Sports Funding Also Discussed
Committee members questioned the relationship between the PFF and the Pakistan Sports Board and asked about the federation’s funding arrangements.
Pakistan Sports Board Director General Yasir Hussain said the PFF was self-sufficient and had not received grants or other funding from the board for the past 10 to 15 years.
The meeting also received briefings from sports directors general from the four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan on sports activities and development in their respective regions.
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