The Pakistan Sports Trust (PST) with a commitment to the promotion of sports in the country was launched at a local hotel here on Monday. Lieutenant General Syed Arif Hassan, President of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) is the first chairman of the organisation which would have the patronage of both the public and private sector. The PST with its headquarters set up in Islamabad has begun with a capital of Rs 75 million for sports development in the country and to nurture talent from grass-root level.
The PST's major objective would be to place Pakistan on the world sporting map in the upcoming years, this was disclosed at a media briefing by General Arif.
The chairman added that the money has been transferred from the remaining funds of the SAF Games held at Islamabad last year. The cash for the Games was raised through the hero scratch card scheme and advertising revenue.
General Arif, conceded there were failures on the part of both the POA and the PSB in developing and grooming international class sportsmen from the grass-root level.
As such, there was a need to corporatise sports in the country to a great extent as well as to revitalise the PSB so that the task could be approached in a more dynamic way, General Arif stressed.
The PST supremo said a representative from Ministry of Sports and Culture, Finance Ministry and the PSB would be the representatives of the government on the Board of Governors on the PST.
While the private sector would be represented by PIA chief Tariq Kirmani, President of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Ali Raza, head of Bank Al-falah in Pakistan, Mohammad Salim Akhtar, former world squash legend and President World Squash Federation.
"We would try to keep the organisational structure of the PST as lean as possible," said the PST chief.
General Arif added that the governors would serve a term of four years, that could be extended by another year or so. Most of all, they would all have to prove their worth including myself. If not so, we would have to quit to make way for somebody else.
Firstly, the PST would set up a Sports Institute of Excellence in Islamabad and then in the various provincials capitals where training and coaching will be provided to promising boys and girls on a long-term basis.
General Arif stressed, the long term goals of the PST would include creation of a vast resource pool of highly skilled sports persons at the national and international level, through sustainable scientific training from a very young age.
"By and large, by providing specialised sports training with adequate academic support, the PST's range would be to train the best talent in the country in order to win medals for the country in international sporting events," he added.
The PST would also evolve an educational process to develop sports as a career and will provide international exposure for the development of match temperament and acquaintance with latest skills and strategies.
General Arif said that the PST was fully aware that there is no dearth of raw talent in the country and Pakistan too can become a sporting superpower if the available talent is channelled in the right direction besides providing essential support.
"The PST would also financially support the various sports federations and other entities, in the country and monitor their progress. The support to the federations and other institutions will firstly be based on them putting forward viable schemes for sports development and secondly in delivering the goods," said General Arif.
"At the same time, the PSI would be vested with a training academy/boarding school at the Sports Complex in Islamabad where talented youngsters from the whole country would be accommodated and given incentives for training in their respective disciplines by highly qualified foreign trainers, besides receiving formal education as well. The entire costs of housing, educating and training the youngsters will be borne by the PST," added General Arif.
"This is a mammoth task that we are undertaking and we fully realise this" he said.
"There will be no overnight miracles. World champions are made only through very hard work and deep commitment. Until now, nothing concrete was being done in this regard and the PST is determined to bring about a qualitative change", he laid stress on.
"This is a national endeavour and we really need the support of everyone, be it the public, the corporate sector or the media", stated General Atif. "Let's put aside all differences and let's not be skeptical or critical just or the sake of putting up hurdles, he concluded.
Prominent among those present were Brigadier Arif Mahmood Siddiqui, Director-General PST, and Colonel Yahya, the Secretary of the PST.
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