Balochistan lawmaker Khushal Khan Kakar has announced that up to 1,000 kanals of free land could be provided for the construction of a sports complex in the province as lawmakers called for greater efforts to develop football talent at the grassroots level.
The announcement was made during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination, chaired by Sheikh Aftab Ahmed. The committee discussed the development of sports across Pakistan with particular focus on football and the need to identify and train young talent.
Kakar said he was ready to provide between 100 and 1,000 kanals of land free of cost for the proposed sports complex in Balochistan. The initiative could provide young athletes in the province with improved facilities and opportunities to participate in organized sports.
During the meeting, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) President Mohsin Gilani briefed the committee on the federation’s efforts to develop football in the country. He said approximately 400 young trainers had been developed during the current year and highlighted the progress of Pakistan’s youth teams.
Gilani said the federation was also focusing on club development and the promotion of women’s football. He described Pakistan’s women’s football team as strong and said efforts were underway to further improve its performance. The federation has also brought in foreign coaches and is working on coordination with football authorities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Baku.
The committee emphasized that greater attention must be given to football at the grassroots level. Members said developing local talent was essential if Pakistan wanted to produce players capable of representing the country internationally.
Mehrein Razzaq Bhutto stressed the importance of coordination between the Pakistan Football Federation and provincial sports departments. She questioned whether provincial authorities were adequately coordinating with the federation and called for stronger cooperation to promote football among young people.
PFF officials acknowledged that coordination with the provinces had not been as effective as it should have been and assured the committee that efforts would be made to address the issue.
The committee directed PFF President Mohsin Gilani to personally attend its next meeting. Officials also briefed the committee on sports activities in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The proposed sports complex in Balochistan could become an important step toward improving sports infrastructure and creating more opportunities for young athletes in the province.
