Aqil vows to take matchless steps to rescue sinking Sports-ship
Bureau Report

PESHAWAR—Designated NWFP Sports Minister Syed Aqil Shah Tuesday vowed to rescue the sinking sports-ship by taking matchless steps being a right man for the right job.
There are many who used to be part of sports as sportsmen and sportswomen do not even remain sports persons in the past then how it could be expected that they could improve or could contribute something in the development of the sports in the province.
Aqil Shah stated this while addressing the gathering soon after inaugurating the PSB Annual Refreshes Course for Hockey, Athletics and Squash here at its premises.
Aqil who has a 30 long years association with the sports and has been part of the national contingent for different international outings, said that focus would be made to streamline all the affairs in which the sportsmen and sportswomen could breath easily.
In the past those associated with the sports made life of the sportsmen and sportswomen miserable, the grounds were kept locked for the genuine sports persons, the international swimming pool along with other facilities were declared no go areas and all the expenditures, which were only meant for the development of sports, used in furnishing their offices and joyrides, he said.
Aqil warned that all such elements would be brought to justices and they would be answerable to the players for their deeds adopted by them in the past. He said, no work and progress have been made as far as the promotion of sports is concerned and only papers juggling were made public while the actual things were kept under the carpets.
He said that the youth are very important part of the society but they have been kept deprived on one pretext or the other in the past.
“It will be strong endeavor of the government to provide at least the facilities equal to the players provided in other provinces to the players of NWFP”, he maintained.
The NWFP has been bestowed with enormous sports potential, which has not been properly explored by the previous successive regimes, and with little efforts and polish, their hidden talent could be brought to the mainstream of sports activities. Other provinces have a lot of sports extravaganza whereas the NWFP has no proper sporting facilities to groom the budding players, he maintained.
Recalling the past, he said, they have conducted different events that were role model and are still in the people’s mind. “We will organize Inter-Provincial Games after the Beijing Olympics and National Games will be held next year with prestige,” he promised.
While criticizing the role of the sitting Director General of NWFP Sports Board he called him a white elephant and added that he would be asked about his performance. He also asked the participants to be honest with their job and start working in their respective schools so that activities at school level could be revived on sound footings.
He said, he has a plan in mind to have fully equipped Sports Academy on government land in Chattar Plan in Mansehra district for which help would be sorted from PSB, Pakistan Sports Trust, Federal and Provincial governments. He also appreciated PSB for refreshing physical education teaches of different schools and local coaches with modern-day techniques.