KARACHI, May 9: The Pakistan Sports Foundation Trust (PST) was launched on Monday with a seed money of Rs75 million for the development of sports and nurturing talent at the grass-roots level. PST to be headquartered in Islamabad has been established with the aim of putting Pakistan on the world sporting map in the years to come, chairman of PST and president Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) Lt Gen Arif Hasan revealed at a press briefing.

He said the trust has been formed with the approval of government of Pakistan and its funds had been diverted from SAF Games and through hero card scheme. While admitting the failures of both POA and PSB in developing and grooming top class international sportsmen, he said the PST will do the job with new vigour and dynamic approach.

POA chief said that as a first step a Sports Institute of Excellence will be established in Islamabad, followed by such institutes in other cities of the country where training and coaching will be provided to promising boys and girls and the trust will bear all the costs.

PST will financially support sports federations and other entities in the country and monitor their progress. At the same time the PST will establish a training academy/boarding school at the Sports Complex in Islamabad where talented youngsters from all over the country will be trained in their respective sports by highly qualified foreign trainers, besides receiving formal education.

All the costs of housing, education and training will be borne by the PST.—APP