Integrated Strategy Being Adopted to Identify Sports Talent Across Punjab: Minister

By Muhammad Shahzad, Lahore
LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar has said that an integrated strategy is being implemented to identify fresh sports talent from every constituency across the province.
He made these remarks while meeting Members of the Provincial Assembly Raja Sagheer, Mansoor Azam, and Mian Munir at his office at the National Hockey Stadium Lahore on Tuesday.
During the meeting, participants discussed in detail the promotion of sports activities in various constituencies and the challenges being faced in this regard.
The minister said that sports grounds in government schools are being activated to engage youth in healthy activities. He added that modern sports complexes are being established in every constituency, while 1,000 schools have been targeted for sports-related programmes in collaboration with the Education and Sports Departments.
He further stated that an integrated talent identification strategy is being implemented to discover new sporting potential at the grassroots level. Under this initiative, monthly scholarships are being provided to high-performing athletes, along with opportunities for government employment to help them focus on their sports careers.
Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar also announced that special programmes are being launched for the promotion of sports in rural areas, along with a structured sports calendar for schools and colleges to ensure organized and regular competitions.
He emphasized that rehabilitation of existing sports grounds and construction of new facilities are being prioritized to modernize sports infrastructure in Punjab. He said the government’s aim is to channel youth energy towards positive and healthy activities to build a stronger society.
The minister also highlighted that talent hunt programmes are being used to identify athletes from the grassroots level, creating a strong pool of players who can represent various national teams in the future.