LAHORE: The Punjab government on Tuesday announced a series of initiatives aimed at promoting sports in rural areas, particularly in schools and colleges, as part of efforts to encourage healthy activities among the youth.
The provincial administration also unveiled plans to introduce a regular sports calendar at the school and college level to ensure future events are organised in a disciplined and structured manner.
Punjab Minister for Sports Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar made the announcement during a meeting with MPAs Raja Sagheer, Mansoor Azam and Mian Munir at his office in the National Hockey Stadium. The meeting discussed the promotion of sports in various constituencies and addressed related challenges.
Mr Khokhar said sports fields in government schools were being activated to attract young people towards constructive pursuits. “Sports complexes equipped with modern facilities are being established in every constituency, while 1,000 schools have been targeted for sports activities in collaboration with the education and sports department,” he noted.
He added that an integrated strategy was being adopted to identify fresh talent from across constituencies. “Scholarships are being provided to the best performing athletes on a monthly basis. In addition, government job opportunities will also be extended to them so they can focus on their game with full dedication,” he said.
The minister emphasised that special attention was being paid to the rehabilitation of existing sports grounds and the construction of new facilities, with infrastructure being developed on modern lines. “The aim of the government is to attract the youth towards positive and healthy activities to ensure the establishment of a healthy society,” he remarked.
Mr Khokhar further highlighted that talented athletes were being identified from the grassroots level through a talent hunt programme, with the objective of preparing a pool of potential players who could represent national teams in the future.
The initiatives reflect the provincial government’s broader commitment to fostering sports culture, strengthening infrastructure, and channeling youth energy into productive avenues.
Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2026
