PSB seeks 3 fold increase in annual sports budget

The State controlled Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has requested Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to increase its annual budget from 1.2 billion rupees to 4.9 billion rupees to keep up with the ever-changing demands of national and international sporting events.

The decision to increase the annual budget was taken at the 36th annual general body meeting of the PSB in Islamabad this week to strengthen the sports eco system in Pakistan.

Compared to neighbouring India and other countries in Asia, the Government’s budget for sports is considered the lowest, leading to just one gold medal in the Olympic games since 1984.

Another significant decision taken at the meeting was the approval of a Long-Term Athlete Development Programme (LTADP), designed to shift Pakistan’s sports system from an activity-based model to a performance-driven structure aligned with international standards and Olympic cycles.

National federations have been directed to submit four-year development plans within 90 days, with funding to be tied to performance and compliance.

The meeting, chaired by Rana Sana Ullah Khan, Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination and President PSB, endorsed key structural changes aimed at improving governance, athlete development and international competitiveness.

The meeting also emphasized on national federations to strictly adhere to the term limitations for various positions.