May 19, 2006	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 20, 1427

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PESHAWAR, May 18: Federal Sports Minister Shamim Haidar on Thursday declared that measures were being underway to implement the national sports policy. "Besides bringing improvement in infrastructure for sports, efforts are also being made to financially assist the players. Quota of players is also being restored specially in educational institutions”.

He revealed that the ministry was in touch with several departments regarding provision of employment to the players as well urging them to promote one game each in order to promote the sports in the country.

He said that launching of an exclusive sports TV channel was under consideration to provide entertainment to the sports-lovers and was of the view that foreign ministry was working on a plan to strengthen sporting ties with the neighbouring Afghanistan.

"We are also working to ensure that two per cent of the local government budget is spent on the promotion of sports activities at the grassroots level .

Sports officers are being employed at tehsil and district level. After appointment of the sports officers at the tehsil and district levels, officials would also be appointed at the union council level”, he added.

The minister conceded that the country's performance had declined drastically since 1970 and efforts were being taken to regain the lost glory. “Attention is being given to schools, colleges and universities for talent hunt which would enable the country to produce quality sportspersons.

A meeting of the provincial sports ministers, director-general and secretaries sports is being convened in Islamabad in the near future to devise strategies for development of sports in their respective provinces", he told.

He said that laying of astro turf in Bannu would be completed during the next three weeks for which the arrangement of water had already been finalised and confirmed that there was no truth that the boxing gymnasium was being shifted to some other city.