LAHORE, Apr 25: Prime Minister Youth Programme (PMYP) Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan has said the government was taking concrete steps to promote sports across the country to provide young talent with better opportunities and positive engagement.
Addressing a ceremony at Government High School for Boys, here on Saturday, where the foundation stone of Pakistan’s first FIFA Arena mini pitch project was laid, he said the youth were the country’s most valuable asset and every passing day reflects Pakistan’s progress and prosperity as the government continues comprehensive reforms for economic stability and national development.
The event was attended by Member National Assembly (MNA) Hafiz Nauman, President Pakistan Football Federation Mohsin Gillani, senior officials, sports administrators, education department representatives, and a large number of students, teachers, and local dignitaries.
Rana Mashhood said the government was prioritising healthy activities for young people and expanding sports facilities across the country to ensure constructive engagement for emerging talent. He termed the FIFA Arena mini pitch project an important initiative aimed at promoting grassroots football and providing modern sports facilities at school and community level. He said the project would be completed within two months and would help produce future football talent from the grassroots level. He added that the Prime Minister, along with the FIFA President, would soon inaugurate the project.
The PMYP chairman said past political instability and disruptive activities had negatively impacted national development, however, due to current positive policies, Pakistan’s economy was now moving in the right direction. He said Pakistan was no longer seeking financial assistance but was now engaging with the world on an equal footing in trade and economic cooperation. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Pakistan was progressing rapidly in all sectors. He added that the country had strengthened its position globally in both diplomatic and strategic fields, and Pakistan’s role in promoting regional and global peace was being widely acknowledged.
Rana Mashhood said Pakistan had always preferred dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts and noted that diplomatic efforts were underway to facilitate talks between Iran and the United States in Islamabad. He said global attention was now focused on Pakistan as it plays a constructive role in international affairs. He said terrorism incidents have declined, while projects such as Gwadar Port were emerging as economic hubs, adding that no one can stop the development of Balochistan. He also said that development work was continuing rapidly in Punjab under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who had become a role model for other provinces in development initiatives. He said that youth empowerment remains at the core of government policy, and various projects under the Youth Programme were being introduced to provide education, skills, and employment opportunities.
He announced that from July and August, 10,000 young people would be provided technical training to enable them to earn livelihoods both nationally and internationally.
On the occasion, MNA Hafiz Nauman said the day marked a moment of great joy for the area as Pakistan’s first FIFA Arena mini pitch was being established with FIFA’s cooperation. He appreciated the efforts of Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan and PFF President Mohsin Gillani for launching the project, saying such initiatives were essential for developing societies and would provide both sports and employment opportunities to thousands of young people.
PFF President Mohsin Gillani said the FIFA Arena project was a significant step toward developing football infrastructure at the grassroots level in Pakistan. He said the mini pitch was a high-quality facility designed to make football accessible in schools, communities, and public spaces. He added that this initiative would help promote football from the grassroots level, and similar projects would soon be launched in other provinces, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said international organizations were ready to support Pakistan in developing its sports infrastructure.
Later, Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan performed the foundation stone-laying ceremony by cutting the ribbon, and PFF President Mohsin Gillani presented him a shield.
