RAWALPINDI, Oct 30: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has called for coordinated efforts to promote sports particularly at the grass-roots level so that the country may regain its old glory in regional and international competitions.

He was speaking at a briefing about Pakistan's national sports policy here Saturday.

President Musharraf underlined the importance of encouraging sports at district and tehsil levels and also in educational institutions so that talented players could be tapped at appropriate level and provided proper grooming on modern lines.

"Encouragement of players at these basic levels would definitely inspire the young people to put in their best in various events and raise the standard of competition," he observed.

The president said all sports bodies should work in tandem to implement the policy of achieving higher standards of sports both through scientific training and encouragement of talented sportsmen in the form of financial incentives.

The athletes, he said, should be given better jobs so that they could focus on honing their skills for best results.

The sports policy will be implemented after its approval by the Federal Cabinet.

The policy will envisage a marked increase in the budgetary allocations for Pakistan Sports Board.

Paksitan Olympic Association Chairman Lt-Gen Arif Hassan presented a briefing to the president, encompassing various aspects of sports promotion.

Federal Minister for Culture and Sports Mohammad Ajmal Khan, Minister of State for Culture and Sports Mohammad Ali Durrani, and senior officials were also present.-APP