Pakistan plans to establish coastal sports academies and cricket training centres under its blue economy vision, with the Maritime Affairs Ministry and former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi exploring a partnership to promote youth development, sports tourism and environmental awareness in coastal regions.
The initiative was discussed during a meeting between Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and Afridi on Tuesday.
The discussions focused on expanding the role of maritime and coastal infrastructure beyond trade and logistics to include sports development, youth engagement and environmental awareness.
The minister assured full support from maritime institutions for initiatives aimed at promoting sports, particularly in coastal regions. He said ports and maritime zones were increasingly becoming centres of national development where education, sports and environmental awareness could be integrated.
Chaudhry said under the blue economy vision, sports development could be advanced through public-private partnerships, including the establishment of coastal sports academies, cricket training centres and structured youth programmes along the coastline.
He added that cricket, as the most popular sport, could be used as a unifying platform to raise awareness about marine conservation, climate change and the importance of ocean resources among young people.
The meeting also discussed linking sports activities with ocean literacy campaigns to address issues such as marine pollution, declining fish stocks and the protection of coastal ecosystems.
Afridi welcomed the proposal, saying sports were one of the most effective tools to engage young people in positive activities and could also be leveraged to promote environmental awareness. He noted significant potential for sports tourism and grassroots cricket development.
The two sides also reviewed proposals for launching coastal sports and ocean awareness drives in Karachi, Gwadar and other port cities. These initiatives would combine cricket tournaments with awareness sessions on mangrove conservation, marine biodiversity and sustainable use of ocean resources.
Under the proposed framework, maritime institutions would provide infrastructure support, while sports organisations and private sector partners would develop training and outreach programmes.
Both sides agreed to develop a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen cooperation between the maritime and sports sectors, aiming to promote Pakistan’s blue economy vision while encouraging social cohesion and environmental awareness through sports.
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