Govt working on promoting sports in country: PM
ISLAMABAD, Jul 8 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Friday asked the provincial governments to search for potential youth in their domains in pursuance of the government’s policy to include them in national mainstream. The Prime Minister was speaking at a ceremony arranged for special children who won 58 medals in the Special Olympics recently held in Athens. Gilani said special children are the heroes of the nation who brought laurels to the country through their hardwork. He paid tributes to the coaches who worked day and night for achieving success and helped to bring good name to the country.
The Prime Minister said the government would continue its support to promote sports in the country, adding that the winner special children would become goodwill ambassadors.
Gilani appreciated the performance of the special children for their contribution in bringing happiness to the country by winning the medals in this time when people really need these happy gestures.
He said the role of these special children by winning medals in the Special Olympics was a great contribution in projecting name of Pakistan in the international community.
Appreciating the work and dedication of coaches to train these special children, the Prime Minister said it is great satisfaction for them as they will get its reward in this world.
Referring to the importance of education, the Prime Minister said after the 18th constitutional amendment, now the sports and culture are the provincial domain and its their responsibility to make efforts for the promotion of sports at grass roots level.
He announced Rs 5 lac each for those who won gold medals, Rs 3 lac for silver medals and Rs 1 lac for those with bronze medals.  The coaches would be given one lac each.
The Prime Minister announced Rs 10 million for the Special Olympic Association.
Earlier, Chairman Pakistan Special Olympics Association Syed Ahmed speaking on the occasion said despite limited resources the association has been assisting to the special athletes for their participation in international competitions.
He said 20 years ago, when the association was formed there were 75 special athletes in the country and now their number has been increased to 16,000.
He said there is need to institutionalized the mechanism of air travel of these special children as it was in the past when the PIA provided free tickets to these children for participation in the special olympics.
Syed Ahmed also appreciated the hospitality of the Pakistanis living in Athens for taking care of these special children during their stay there.
The Prime Minister mixed up with these special children who was astonished to see the Prime Minister amongst themselves.
One of the special children, Adeel who got three gold medals, told the prime minister that he had dedicated one of the medals to his late brother who was murdered in Lahore and asked for justice for his murder.
The Prime Minister assured the special child that the government would take steps to provide justice to him and announced to provide free legal aid to him for the trail of case of murder of his brother.
Later, special children made photographs with the Prime Minister and were very happy to attend the reception hosted by Prime Minister Gilani at the Prime Minister House.