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Netizens call on PM Imran to improve Pakistan's sports facilities and support young athletes

Netizens call on PM Imran to improve Pakistan's sports facilities and support young athletes

He posted a motivational video on Twitter and was met by hundreds of appeals to look into the state of sports in the country.
09 Aug, 2021

Prime Minister Imran Khan recently posted a motivational video on Twitter and Instagram and while some people appreciated it, others felt he could do more than posting videos about athletes. Many others laughed at the fact that the premier posted a TikTok video when TikTok has been banned in Pakistan for the umpteenth time.

"I want the youth of Pakistan to watch the race and learn the most important lesson that sports taught me: "you only lose when you give up"," the PM captioned a video of Ethiopian-born Dutch runner Sifan Hassan who went on to win a bronze medal for the 1,500-metre women's race. The video showed her tripping during the preliminary race but overcoming it.

Many people appreciated the premier's message and his achievements as an athlete.

Some laughed because TikTok is banned in Pakistan and the premier shared a TikTok video.

But many, many others called upon the PM to increase funding and support for local athletes.

One user called for a level playing field for athletes. It will be very difficult for any athletes to succeed unless their sport is their career but in Pakistan, many athletes must choose between feeding their families and their sport.

Another user called for athletes to be paid.

Multiple users asked the PM to invest in sports.

One user made a fervent appeal to the PM to turn his attention towards sports in Pakistan.

It's not the youth that needs to learn, one user reminded the PM. "It is our sports organisations that failed them."

"This is not what we expected of our sportsman PM," said another user, who said motivation isn't enough.

One user took the PM's message in his stride and said "such lessons can only be learnt once you are part of that process".

Another user asked the PM to congratulate Arshad Nadeem, who is the first Pakistani to ever make it to the Olympic finals.

As a former athlete, the prime minister is well aware of the effort, hard work and facilities needed to make a champion. That's why so many people are calling on him to improve the facilities for our athletes. Arshad Nadeem's story has awakened the collective conscience of the nation and people want more to be done for our budding athletes. They're seeing how much other countries have invested in sports and want the same to be done for young Pakistanis.

Comments

Owais Aug 09, 2021 04:18pm
Can the PM please tell us what his govt has done in past thee years for Sports? Who is our Sports minister & how many sports bodies heads are appointed on merit & what're their qualifications & performance? Political slogans unfortunately cannot serve any purpose, we need actions please.
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A. ALI Aug 09, 2021 04:54pm
Whole country wakes from their cosiness and starts blaming govt for Olympic s. I would just why don we do it persistently to get the job done or until sports facilities are improved. This euphoria will subside in couple of days and life become normal.
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A. ALI Aug 09, 2021 04:58pm
Good to poke PM to invest in sports and do something to improve health and sorts facilities.
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A. ALI Aug 09, 2021 04:58pm
There's no ground to play in my area, sadiqabad rawalpindi... nearest ground to my place is about 12 km.
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Art Aug 09, 2021 05:23pm
He needs to watch where Indian athletes get training and where Pakistani athletes get training! Shame on this thug
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obs Aug 09, 2021 05:27pm
@Owais unfair q.. our PM along with all his government was busy with more important things than sports (PM said now he will look at sports and his knowledge is wayy more than us - can compare with 3 Phds) :)
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Hasan Malik Aug 09, 2021 06:10pm
The prime minister of Pakistan is sharing the video of Tiktok with a tiktok logo. Interestingly that platform is banned in Pakistan?. PEMRA will take action against Imran Khan now?. Imran Khan should be fined by PEMRA for breaking the laws of the land.
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Shahzad Aug 09, 2021 06:18pm
I've a question for every single Pakistani who lives in Pakistan. Have you paid your due taxes with full honesty? Pakistani Govt doesn't like all the Govts in Europe, solely rely on the taxes and without money they can't support these athletes.
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Chrís Dăn Aug 09, 2021 06:58pm
PM did not bother to encourage our Talha and Arshad-two orphans in our rich world of sports. He should annouce proper measures for their training and care.
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Khader Aug 09, 2021 07:14pm
PMIK has no time to encourage sports now. He is now obsessed with Kashmir being an ambassador of Kashmir and very rightly so. When Kashmir issue is resolved some time in his life time, he will pay attention to sports and inflation,
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jonny late Aug 09, 2021 07:37pm
It is not that the youth of Pakistan have given up. They have taken their liking to a different sports arena. They would be gold medalists if there was an Olympics for vandalism, desecration of temples, abduction, rape and forced conversion etc.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Aug 09, 2021 07:46pm
Netizens are 100 percent right to call on the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to improve sports facilities in the country and support, encourage and help greenshirt athletes, sportsmen and women to win more laurels for the the country.
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Chander Khera Aug 09, 2021 07:54pm
IK may be honest but he is a fool .poor Pakistanis got him
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Amer Aug 09, 2021 09:15pm
Do not forget the 18 amendment and you need to put pressure on your local governments to spread the tax money on the citizens instead of stealing.
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A shah Aug 09, 2021 09:46pm
We have seen what has happened to Pakistani cricket under his watch so let’s not even dream of what he could do to other sports
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Bwana Quba Aug 09, 2021 09:59pm
Why?
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Bwana Quba Aug 09, 2021 09:59pm
Why Now?
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Jarring Aug 09, 2021 11:56pm
The tweet was motivational and does hold lessons for the youth, but IK is not a motivational speaker. He is the premier of the country who was also a sportsman, but has done nothing substantial for any sport during his tenure. He still has considerable time to change things and change the sports landscape before 2023 elections.
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Tariq Aug 10, 2021 04:00am
Sport is like a war , it’s a do or die. It’s more mental than physical game. Unfortunately those who never played any professional sports nor participate in any war , heading the sport department.
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Jemina Aug 10, 2021 04:11am
I look forward to our athletics getting new sports infrastructure to compete at international levels.
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Shary (Kuwait) Aug 10, 2021 09:27am
@Owais your question should just be.. "Can the PM please tell us what his govt has done in past thee years"?
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Ziauddin Khan Aug 10, 2021 11:14am
till we acknowledge and encourage merit and till we kill nepotism and favouritism, I don't see any sports flourish in our country; at least not in our lifetime.....merit starts from school; PM saab, please do something...
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Sane Mind1st Aug 10, 2021 12:44pm
@Shary (Kuwait) I fully agree, but there is a spelling correction. It should have been thRee years, not thee years. Chill
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Alz Aug 11, 2021 01:01pm
The idiom " Truck kay bati pay lagana" is perfect for this nation. Just because some celebs and politicians praised those athletes, we want to compete China and India on sports budget. We are a nation that is still fighting poverty and an obsolete education system ,so it would be foolish to put sports ahead of nation devolpment just because we are full on adrenaline from the Olympics and social media hype.
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Khanm Aug 11, 2021 07:45pm
When will you learn that sport facilities are for privileged class only..for ordinary and lower class the streets on Sunday becomes the play grounds ..sports clubs are for exclusive members only ..that includes our high ranking military officers or elites. I always felt that our greatest asset was not our physical ability, it was our mental ability, unfortunately we don't have either of it..sir with due respect ..If it doesn’t challenge them, it won’t change them..but the question remains who has the courage to challenge them..for a nation building ...There are only two options regarding commitment. You’re either IN or you’re OUT. There is no such thing as life in-between....
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