Pakistani youths show their football skills during training camp in Karachi.  -Photo by AFP (file)

ISLAMABAD: Curtains fall on the federal sports ministry on Friday which got devolved under the 18th constitutional amendment, however, the status of Pakistan Sports Board stands in limbo as the board loses several of its powers, Dawn has learnt reliably.

An official close to the development said that during an implementation committee meeting at the Inter-Provincial Coordination Division, the federal sports chapter has now been shifted to the provinces as per implementation of the 18th amendment.

“The sports-related concern stays with the provincial governments and in case they [provinces] want to change something they have to come through a joint resolution while the national coaching centres in the four provinces will also be transferred to the provinces,” added the official.

Regarding the status of the PSB, the official said it would now be an attached department of the IPC division.

“PSB officials will now report to the IPC division and the board will be looking after the national functions related to international agreements and the national federations in a routine manner for quite some time, however, there is no final decision on the issue of national federations,” observed the official.

The issue of national sports federations, he said, was still being consulted at the implementation commissions meeting.

He said that several attempts were made by the PSB’s management for getting his institution an attached department status with the Cabinet Division but the implementation commission decided otherwise –– attaching the board with the IPC division.

The official informed: “There was a summary sent by the former sports secretary Aziz Bilour in which he requested that the PSB should stay with the IPC ministry while few powers of the ministry should rest with the board.”

Bilour’s summary was partly approved as the PSB was attached with the IPC, however, the power of the ministry was not transferred to the board instead its powers were squeezed.

Aamir Bilal, a sports analyst, added: “This is a better decision by the IPC division to dissolve the national sports chapter but now it is the job of the respective provincial ministries to proactively work in their provinces on sports.”