KARACHI: When Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani will go over the files related to games like cricket, hockey, squash and football after taking charge as the country’s new sports minister on Monday, he will know the enormity of his task.
Sports in Pakistan has taken a nosedive over the years and the country’s sportsmen are struggling at the international level even in games like in hockey and squash in which Pakistan were once regarded as the biggest powerhouse.
Jakhrani, an MNA from the Pakistan People’s Party who took over from Pir Aftab Jilani as the sports minister, told Arab News that he is aware of the fact that the standard of sports has been declining in Pakistan and vowed to help bring about worthwhile improvement.
“A lot of work needs to be done for the promotion of sports,” said Jakhrani, who won a National Assembly seat from Jacobabad and served as the Federal Health Minister before being given the portfolio of sports last week.
“We were very good in games like hockey and squash but now need to work hard to regain our lost glory,” he stressed.
Jakhrani, who captained his school’s football team in Sukkur besides playing cricket as a youngster, said that under him, the Sports Ministry will try to provide a boost to all the game that are popular in the country.
“We have to invest in games like cricket, hockey, football, tennis. Sports is very important to the people of Pakistan which is why it’s a serious task for me,” he said.
Jakhrani said that he would soon push for more funds for sports.
“We will do everything that needs to be done to give sports a boost in Pakistan,” said the minister. “From the government level you will see complete involvement of the (Sports) Ministry and other relevant department.”
Jakhrani said that Pakistan have done exceptionally well on the world sports stage in the past and can revive their lost glory through some concrete steps.
Pakistan has won the hockey World Cup on a record four occasions while clinching three Olympic titles. But their last major victory came 15 years back when they won the 1994 World Cup in Sydney.
Similarly in squash, Pakistan produced an unlimited supply of world-class players for over forty years starting from Hashim Khan to Jansher Khan. But for the last ten years, Pakistan have not seen any of their players getting even in the top-ten world rankings which is in start contrast to the fact that in the eighties the country used to have around five or six players in that elite club.
Pakistan have suffered similar decline in athletics, boxing, wresting and several other sports over the years.
Jakhrani said that as a keen follower of sports, he is aware of the decline in the standard of Pakistani sports. “We have to go up and the only way to do is through hard work and dedication,” he said.
