Islamabad: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry chaired a board meeting of the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) to review and revise its sports policy, aiming to align it with current national and departmental needs.

According to Press Information Department, the minister emphasized the necessity of focusing the revised policy on departmental sports, player development, coaching and training, transparent selection mechanisms, and improved sports facilities. The policy will also prioritize incentives for players and clearly defined institutional responsibilities. Chaudhry proposed the development of a unified sports policy for all Pakistani ports and directed the organization of a talent-hunting camp at Port Qasim to identify promising athletes.

Chairman of Port Qasim Authority, Rear Admiral (Retd) Syed Moazzam Ilyas, informed the meeting about plans to establish a multi-sports complex that will feature facilities for cricket, hockey, badminton, table tennis, swimming, basketball, squash, athletics, and football. The board has allocated a 9.6-acre amenity plot for this project. The first phase, which includes a cricket ground, will be put out to tender, and the contract will be awarded to the lowest bidder.

The proposed policy will see the creation of a dedicated directorate to oversee sports development and activities, with senior players utilized as coaches to train newly recruited athletes. Additionally, the minister directed that players from Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and PQA be combined to form a new international-level cricket team. The meeting was attended by the PQA chairman, members of the HR committee, and other board members.