LAHORE: The Punjab Sports Board has announced plans to open 16 free sports academies across the province.

Board’s Director General Muhammad Tariq Qureshi said so while presiding over a meeting of coaches at the National Hockey Stadium on Wednesday.

“It is for the first time in the country’s history that 16 sports academies are being opened for free for male and female athletes across the province.”

Sharing more details of academies, Tariq Qureshi said the academies would be established in sports including boxing, athletics, swimming, table tennis, badminton, football, hockey, archery, wushu, karate, jujitsu, taekwondo, tennis, squash, cricket.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2026