ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib on Thursday expressed confidence that the Kamyab Jawan Sports drive would pave the way for hosting the international sporting events in Pakistan.
“By launching the sports drive, we have given a message to the world that we are a sports-loving nation. This is the biggest sports programme of the country’s history which has mobilized the youth at such a large scale,” the minister said while addressing a ceremony held here in connection with ‘Inter Universities Final Competitions Under Kamyab Jawan Programme’.
He said under the drive, sports enthusiasts were registered from almost every district of Pakistan for ensuring their representation at national and international levels through the healthy and positive engagement of 60 per cent of the population.
Praising Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Youth Affairs Muhammad Usman Dar, Farrukh said the sports spirit and excitement instilled by the drive was appreciable.
Usman Dar was not only working to produce national heroes including Olympians and international champions but also implementing the government’s initiatives aimed at creating gainful employment for the youth, Farrukh noted.
He said the SAPM was spearheading an initiative launched with a cost of Rs 10 billion to build the capacity of the youth by imparting them modern and traditional skills under the ‘Hunarmand Pakistan’ programme.
He said 25,000 youth have been certified for different skills, while around 100,000 were enrolled for the programme.
The minister said an amount of Rs 100 billion were allocated for providing soft loans to the Youth under the Kamyab Jawan Programme’s Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES).
A large number of budding entrepreneurs has been provided loans so that they could execute their workable ideas and expand their businesses, he added.
The minister said the Inter-Provincial Ministry was working with the provinces in close coordination to promote hockey and other sports in the country.
SAPM Usman Dar said two important segments including sports and youth were ignored in Pakistan in the past. It was the present government that had given ownership to those segments, he added.
He vowed to revive the sports culture through the drive. The registered youth under the drive would be provided all possible facilities, he added.
