Wani hails football revival, backs Gilani’s leadership
ISLAMABAD: Federal Secretary for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Mohyuddin Wani has said Pakistan football is back on the right track after years of administrative uncertainty,
crediting Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) President Mohsen Gilani for leading the revival of the game also announced that Pakistan is preparing to host the South Asian (SAF) Games next year following the Prime Minister’s approval of funds.
Briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination, chaired by Sheikh Aftab Ahmed, Wani said Pakistan football has witnessed remarkable progress over the past year following the restoration of the PFF after years under a FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee.
Responding to questions from committee members, Wani said the federation has regained stability and has delivered encouraging results in a short period. He praised Mohsen Gilani for his leadership, saying his efforts to revive football have been recognised by FIFA,
the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and the Government of Pakistan. He added that the federation is actively promoting football across the country through grassroots initiatives and development programmes. Highlighting future plans,
Wani informed the committee that the FIFA Vice President has committed financial support for the construction of at least two modern football grounds in Pakistan, a move aimed at strengthening football infrastructure and youth development.
He also informed lawmakers that Pakistan will host the South Asian (SAF) Games next year. While the Prime Minister has already approved funding for the event, the Ministry has also sought an additional Rs6 billion from the federal government to ensure the successful staging of the regional games.
Responding to MNA Mehreen Razzaq Butto, Wani said that in his capacity as Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President ten Pro League matches were already played, adding that rebuilding a competitive side requires time as no team can be built in two months.Pakistan competed against some of the world’s strongest hockey teams,
and such a transformation cannot happen overnight,” Wani said. He also confirmed that the PHF is working closely with the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on the PHF electoral process, adding that the world governing body is fully on board to facilitate transparent and credible elections.
During the meeting, the committee expressed concern over the concentration of sports facilities in Punjab and Islamabad and called for the establishment of modern sports complexes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to ensure equal opportunities for athletes across the country.
It also decided to invite provincial sports secretaries to its next meeting to discuss provincial sports development initiatives and improve coordination between the federation and the provinces.
The committee also constituted a subcommittee to review the performance of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), appointing Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto as its convener.
The session concluded with a brief exchange when committee member Babar Nawaz Khan objected to an interruption during the proceedings and advised the IPC Secretary to observe parliamentary decorum. Wani clarified that he was only responding to members’ questions and reaffirmed his respect for Parliament and all elected representatives.
