Pakistan’s sports sector faces another significant setback as the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) returned Rs380 million to the Finance Division for the 2023-24 fiscal year due to mismanagement and potential political interference.
Sources revealed that the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) and PSB’s disorganized operations led to unspent funds.
In June, a stalemate occurred when neither the interim PSB Director General Ch Zahoor nor the newly appointed Yasir Peerzada approved the expenditure.
Peerzada, who assumed office on June 22, refused to clear the backlog, arguing previous administrators spent it. Meanwhile, Zahoor left his position early without authorizing the necessary documents, resulting in the fund’s return.
The mishandling of funds has severely impacted sports infrastructure and athlete development programs.“If you surrender a heavy amount of Rs380 million you are sending a bad message to the Finance Division.” remarked an official of the IPC ministry.
Sports federations in the country’s sports sector, reliant on these funds for operational and developmental purposes, have also been adversely affected.
The non-disbursement of the sports development fund deprives federations and athletes of critical support. “Surrendering any amount meant for promotion of sports is a cruelty to the athletes. Federations have a genuine right to get the required grants. If some or all sports federations are denied the opportunity, it is a cruel act. The pending amount should have been distributed among the federations, especially among those who deserve the grant.” stated another official.
Efforts to reach PSB’s Nadeem Irshad Kayani for comments were unsuccessful. Additionally, federation officials confirmed that they did not receive the expected funds by the end of the fiscal year, expressing frustration over the unfair treatment.
Despite most federations meeting the requirements, the recent alteration in PSB’s funding criteria has further complicated the issue, leaving many without essential financial support.