ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination Dr Fehmida Mirza here on Monday discussed sports diplomacy with Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing and sought Chinese assistance in the rebuilding of the Pakistan Sports Complex in the capital.

“Promotion of sports and revival of the sports complex are top priorities of the incumbent government. We believe China can help us in rebuilding the complex besides assisting us in building the capacity of our trainers,” Fehmida said during her meeting with the Chinese ambassador.

Emphasising the completion of the complex before this year’s SAF Games being hosted by Nepal during December, the IPC minister said Pakistan would seek Chinese financial assistance in building the said complex and in enhancing the capacity of the country’s coaches of table tennis, martial arts and gymnastics.

According to a statement issued by the IPC ministry, after the meeting between Fehmida and Yao Jing the federal minister also discussed the idea of holding an international conference on sports diplomacy along with China, Afghanistan, India and Central Asian countries to form a regional sports committee like the International Olympic Committee with its headquarters in Islamabad.

The proposed regional sports committee will be given the mandate to promote international sports as well as common traditional games of the region.

Speaking on the occasion, Yao Jing assured assistance in the maintenance of the Pakistan Sports Complex and appreciated the idea of the regional sports committee.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2019