Rana Sanaullah, the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring Pakistan’s pride in national hockey during the 37th Junior Hockey Championship on Thursday.
Emphasizing the need for a revival of the sport, he called on various departments to establish their own hockey teams. During his address, Sanaullah, who also oversees Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC), expressed concern about the decline in the country’s hockey standing.
“Hockey is our national game, but unfortunately, we have not enjoyed the pride associated with it in recent years,” he stated. He assured attendees that efforts are underway to reclaim the sport’s lost glory and get it back on track.
Sanaullah said Arshad Nadeem won the gold medal in the Paris Olympics 2024 and was welcomed by the entire nation.
He said Pakistan Sports Board has been asked to make a policy on how a player who can win a gold or silver medal at the international level can be felicitated with an award. Efforts are being made to develop players’ interest and urge for winning medals, he said.
He said there are issues in the federations but the new Sports Policy refers to bringing new things wherever needed.
To a question regarding High Performance Centers, the adviser said he has tasked people to gather information about the best High Performance Centers in the world as to set up soon accordingly.
Soon Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will announce the establishment of High Performance Center in Islamabad, he said.
Source: Dunya News