IPC body defers consideration: Proposed National Sports Policy 2026 suffers a fresh delay

ISLAMABAD: The proposed National Sports Policy 2026 suffered a fresh delay on Wednesday as a parliamentary panel deferred its consideration pending input from all provinces, holding up the federal government’s bid to overhaul the country’s fragmented sports governance. The Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), chaired by Senator Dilawar Khan, said it would take up the draft once provincial feedback was received and incorporated. The committee also expressed anger over the continuous absence of Minister for IPC Rana Sanuallah Khan from the committee meetings and directed the secretary IPC to ask the minister to ensure his presence in next meeting. Dilawar said the minister’s participation was necessary as the committee dealt with matters of national importance requiring political decisions and timely briefings. The committee reviewed the broader reform agenda for the country’s sports sector, including the Long Term Athlete Development Programme (LTADP), launched by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) in March to move sports federations away from annual grant-dependent operations towards structured 10- to 12-year performance plans. The programme covered grassroots talent development, coaching certification and the integration of sports science. Officials told the committee that 16 of the 43 recognised national sports federations had so far submitted their LTADP plans to the joint monitoring committee for review. Lawmakers also examined progress on a Rs25. 347 million PSDP-funded project for a multipurpose sports complex and padel courts in Faisalabad. The committee was briefed on the procurement process and told that two technical bidders had qualified following evaluation by the National Engineering Services Pakistan (NesPak). Members called for the project to be expedited so the facilities could be made available to the public without further delay. For stronger federal-provincial coordination on sports infrastructure and regional venue access, the chairman directed that the IPC minister and provincial chief secretaries be invited to future committee meetings. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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