PM for building Pakistan as peace-loving, progressive country

ISLAMABAD:Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani Wednesday urged the youth to build Pakistan as a peace-loving, progressive country and also stressed the need for sportsman spirit in politics. The Prime Minister made these remarks while distributing over Rs. 2.2 million worth of cash prizes among the Pakistani medal winners of 10th South Asian Games at Colombo (Sri Lanka) held August 18-28, 2006. He pledged full government support for establishing Sports Academies around the country and to help in boosting sports infrastructure for even better results in international competitions. Gillani said Pakistan was blessed with natural resources which could be better utilised by building the country’s image as a peace-loving, progressive country.
“We will take a giant step forward in economic and socio-political progress by raising an image of a peace-loving country in which life and liberty is safe and all doubts and misgivings, whatsoever, on this country are firmly dispelled”, he said.
He said the Inter-Provincial harmony and cohesion could be promoted by holding more and more sports competitions among the students and the youth of the country.
“The Government will provide all out support for establishing the National Sports Academies in the Provinces, Azad Kashmir, FATA and Northern Areas”, Gillani said.
“We will also help in further boosting and developing sports infrastructure around the country”, the Prime Minister said while referring to the Address of Welcome presented by the Federal Sports Minister, Najamuddin Khan.
He also assured of providing regular jobs to the Sportspersons of the country so that they could concentrate on their training.
In this behalf the Prime Minister announced that five Sportswomen (female athletes) would be regularised in their jobs at the Pakistan Steel Mills: Sadaf Siddiqui, Noshi Perveen, Fauzia Aurangzeb, Humaira Akbar and Sumaira Zahoor.
Disclosing that he himself was a good athlete of jumps and races and also a debater during his student days, the Prime Minister said the youth are the asset of the country and should help the government in building the true image of Islam, which is peace and progress.
He congratulated the medal-winners and also urged those not winning to stay active in life and wait for next opportunity for success. “I must say that political parties of any society should display sportsman spirit and accept the results of elections “.
He said, “We had chalked out a charter of democracy and are abiding by its spirit after the election results”.
The Prime Minister gave away the prizes valued at Rs. 20,240,000 to a total of 156 players, among them 41 gold-medallist, who had taken Pakistan to runners- up position, behind India, in the 10th South Asian Games.
Prizes were also awarded to coaches of the medal-winning individuals and teams.
Besides winning 41 golds, the 376-strong Pakistan Contingent, which included 282 sportspersons and 94 officials in 19 disciplines, also captured 43 silvers and 72 bronze medals during the eight-Nation South Asian Games.
Also present at the glittering Prize-Distribution ceremony were Federal Minister of Sports, Najamuddin Khan, Secretary Sports Muhammad Ashraf Khan and DG of Pakistan Sports Board, Muhammad Anwar Khan.
Cash prizes of Rs. 200,000, Rs. 100,000 and Rs. 50,000 each were awarded for winning gold, silver and bronze medal respectively in the Individual Games while prize criteria for Team Sports was Rs.50,000, Rs.30,000 and Rs.15,000 for Gold, Silver and Bronze medals each respectively.