Peace through sports being pursued to combat extremism : Rehman Malik

      ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP): Minister for Interior, Rehman Malik
on Monday said Peace Through Sports plan was being pursued to bring
positive change in the young mindset and combat menace of terrorism
and extremism.
      "I believe that increased focus on Sports will surely bring
more people together and greatly facilitate our national efforts to
check forces of extremism," he said while addressing a function
which was arranged here to sign an accord between National Database
and Registration Authority and Pakistan Hockey Federation to promote
hockey in the country.
      He said an idea was floated by Sports Minister, Engineer
Shaukatullah that youth must be brought towards sports, adding
that the government was implementing the proposal to ensure peace.
    "Sports are very helpful in maintaining discipline and I am sure
that promotion of sports across the country would not only be means
of laurels but also make the youth healthy and hearty," he said.
      "I am very happy that an organization like NADRA was
sponsoring PHF to promote the game which was once ruled by Pakistan
in the world.  I know our hockey had witnessed ups and down
but PHF efforts under the able leadership of Qasim Zia has managed
to bring it on course," he added.
      The Minister also emphasized the need of more Sports Channels
in Pakistan, which he added would help further promote different
sports activities.
      Announcing Rs 5 million for promotion of Sports in Federal
Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), he asked NADRA to facilitate
sports associations in the area.
      "We need to encourage our youth and give them a new
direction not only in the hockey field but also in other
discipline of sports," the Minister said and added the national
players who do not have jobs would be given an employment in his
ministry.
      In his address, Minister for Sports, Engineer Shaukatullah
said it is the present regime which has initiated Peace Through
Sports in FATA. The basic aim of this initiative was to bring the
youth in the field of Sports, he added.
      He said, "the youth of FATA are very talented. The
only thing we need is to provide them opportunities so that they can
prove their worth in sports, education and other areas".
      Giving brief details about the sponsorship agreement, Chairman
NADRA, Ali Arshad said Rs 80 million would be provided to PHF for
betterment of hockey and to upgrade all the 18 hockey academies of
PHF.
     He expressed the hope that Pakistan's team would work more hard
to win gold medal in London olympics.
      He said NADRA has also prepared a hockey team under the
captaincy of national player Shakeel Abbasi.
      President, PHF, Qasim Zia thanked the Minister and NADRA for
their cooperation in the promoting hockey and said there is no
dearth of talent but PHF was facing shortage of funds.
      He said all the academies of PHF would be named as NADRA
Natonal Hockey Academies.