Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has pledged to provide equal opportunities to talented athletes across the country to promote sports development in Pakistan. He said young players needed better training, resources and support to achieve greater success internationally. He made these remarks at a ceremony in Islamabad honouring athletes who won medals at the Asian Games.
Congratulating the medal winners, the prime minister said Pakistani athletes had secured two silver and eight bronze medals. He praised their hard work, dedication and the support of their parents. However, he stressed that Pakistan needed to do much more to improve its performance in international sporting competitions.
Shehbaz Sharif said talented young people from Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir would receive encouragement without discrimination. He also referred to financial assistance provided to athletes, saying the support was their right rather than a favour. The government aims to help deserving players develop their abilities and progress in their chosen sports.
The prime minister recalled Pakistan’s achievements in hockey and squash. He mentioned former hockey stars Hassan Sardar, Shahbaz Ahmed and Akhtar Rasool, along with squash champions Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan. He said Pakistan had also achieved notable success in cricket and other sports, highlighting the country’s sporting potential.
He also emphasised the growing participation of women in cricket, hockey and other disciplines. He said young people needed better opportunities to develop their skills in football, volleyball, kabaddi and other sports. Improved coaching, adequate resources and collective efforts would be essential to achieving these goals.
Shehbaz Sharif recalled that institutions such as Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan Railways and WAPDA had previously supported talented athletes and provided sporting facilities. He said he had issued instructions to restore this support system during the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government after receiving demands for its revival.
The prime minister announced plans to organise a sports conference soon. Federal and provincial officials, former sporting greats and current leading athletes will be invited to discuss ways to strengthen sports development in Pakistan. The proposed conference will focus on practical measures to improve training, support emerging talent and help Pakistani athletes achieve greater recognition internationally.
