'Pakistan is now eyeing international sports', PM Imran reveals

Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated the Kamyab Jawan Sport Drive in Islamabad today, reavealing that 'Pakistan is now eyeing international sports'.

While addressing to the attendees of the event, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that sports teach a lot of things in life. “Having spent 21 years on the international sports ground, I can tell you one thing for rue: sports teach you how to accept and embrace defeat”, the premier added.

He further stated that sports prepare you for life. It teaches you to analyze your flaws and come up with solutions to eliminate them. It also helps you stay grounded during your successes.

The prime minister said that 70% of the population of Pakistan is under the age of 30 years. “For them, we have decided to construct grounds. We want a ground in every neighbourhood, in every union council.”

PM Khan revealed that Pakistan is now eyeing international sports. “This initiative will polish our youngsters and train them for bigger and better things.”

In the first phase, the project will provide an opportunity to the talented youth of Pakistan to prepare themselves to display their skills at the international level in 12 sports, including hockey, cricket, football, handball, wrestling, weightlifting, squash, volleyball, skiing, judo, boxing and athletics.

Youth falling in the age group of 11 to 25 years will participate in the sports competitions.

The sports competitions will be held across the country, including Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and one million youth will go through a process of selection.

Earlier on Sunday, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Muhammad Usman Dar said this would be the biggest sports programme in the country’s history that would enable active participation of the youth in healthy physical activities.

He said under its first phase, twelve different games for male and ten for female would be arranged across 25 regions under the talent hunt programme. The age bracket for the both would be 11-25 years.