By Alam Zeb Safi
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top sports governing body has endorsed an ambitious reform agenda aimed at overhauling governance, boosting athlete performance and aligning the country’s sporting system with international standards.
The 36th meeting of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Board, chaired by Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination and PSB President Rana Sana Ullah Khan, was held at the board’s headquarters in Islamabad the other day. The meeting approved a wide-ranging set of policy, financial and structural measures designed to reverse years of underperformance in national sports.
Director General PSB Yasir Pirzada presented a bi-annual performance report covering July to December 2025, outlining progress in governance reforms, infrastructure upgrades, athlete facilitation and international participation. Board members unanimously approved the report, describing it as evidence of improving institutional direction and accountability.
A centerpiece of the meeting was the approval of a Long-Term Athlete Development Programme (LTADP), which signals a shift from participation-driven activities to a performance-based system structured around Olympic cycles.
Under the new framework, all national sports federations have been instructed to submit four-year development plans within 90 days. Future financial support will be tied to measurable performance indicators and adherence to governance standards, a move seen as an attempt to enforce discipline across federations long criticized for inefficiency.
In a significant financial decision, the board recommended a sharp increase in the PSB’s annual budget from roughly 1.2 billion rupees to 4.9 billion rupees to meet rising demands in training, international exposure, coaching and infrastructure development. The proposal will now be forwarded to the federal government for approval by the prime minister.
The proposed increase, if approved, would mark one of the largest funding expansions in Pakistan’s sports sector in recent years, potentially enabling long-delayed modernization projects and improved athlete support systems.
On governance issues, the board reviewed compliance by federations with tenure regulations under the National Sports Policy 2005 and stressed the need for transparent electoral processes. Members called for the formulation of standardized election guidelines to ensure fairness and consistency across sports bodies.
The board also reiterated a zero-tolerance stance on doping, singling out concerns within the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation, where officials were found to be involved in doping-related violations. The issue has drawn international scrutiny in recent years and threatened the country’s participation in global competitions.
The stricter oversight mechanisms and enforcement measures would be implemented to safeguard the integrity of sports and restore Pakistan’s credibility on the international stage.
The meeting concluded with a commitment to accelerate reforms and maintain momentum, as authorities seek to rebuild Pakistan’s sporting ecosystem and improve its competitiveness globally.
