Promotion Of Sports Important In Universities To Create Healthy Minds

Educational experts and scholars on Monday stressed the need for promoting such activities which could enhance mental as well as physical health of the students as healthy minds can play role in the development of the country

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Sep, 2021 ) :Educational experts and scholars on Monday stressed the need for promoting such activities which could enhance mental as well as physical health of the students as healthy minds can play role in the development of the country.

They said this while addressing the 55th meeting of the Standing Sub-Committee of Pakistan University Sports board (PUSB) and National Workshop on Sports and Health held at Sindh Agriculture University (SAU), Tandojam, in collaboration with the Higher education Commission.

The inaugural event was held at the main Auditorium Hall of the University, and presided by SAU Vice Chancellor Dr. Fateh Marri. Provincial Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Sayed Imtiaz Ali Shah was the Chief guest of the event.

The Vice Chancellors from 16 public and private universities of the country and Director Sports of more than 90 universities of the four provinces including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan also participated in the inaugural function.

Addressing the event SAU VC Dr. Fateh Mari, said that Sindh Agriculture University was fully aware of all issues related to agriculture, food security, climate change and agricultural research, but for the first time a national level event has been organized at Sindh Agriculture University for promotion of sports in the universities of Pakistan.

He said 16 Vice Chancellors of public and private sector universities and directors of more than 90 sports directorates at universities in Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, Punjab, KPK, Balochistan and the capital are on same page in this regard.

During this national workshop new projects will be developed after joint discussions on policies and plans to provide the best sports opportunities, Dr Marri said and added that no such mega event has ever been held in this institution during 67 years.

Provincial Secretary for Sports and Youth Affairs Syed Imtiaz Ali Shahsaid the government of Sindh was encouraging sports from school to university level and in this regard, sports related curriculum based on 40% theory and 60% practical will be introduced, he added.

Sindh's sports policy has not been formulated after the 18th amendment and laws were also not made for the Sindh Sports Board, he said and added that the government was working on it.

He said that a mafia in sports associations was not holding elections for many years, the departments have also abolished sports quota posts, which has reduced the interest of students in sports.

HEC's Executive Director Dr. Shaista Sohail while addressing the event through video link said that HEC was committed to expanding healthy activities in universities and new sports projects are expected in the universities from this national workshop and 55th meeting of Pakistan University Sports Boards, She said that HEC was working for the development of sports at the university and school level.

Engr. Javed Ahmed Memon, in-charge Director General for Sports and kamyab Jawan sports and Curriculum Division of HEC, said that the Higher Education Commission had sufficient budget for sports and healthy activities and sports directorates in universities can be further improved.

He said Judo Academy at SAU, International football academy at Karachi University, Boxing Academy at Lyari University and High Performance Center at NED University will be established soon.

Karachi University's Vice Chancellor Dr. Khalid Mohammad Iraqi said that there was an urgent need to encourage sports, we had started giving scholarships to the sportsman students who play and sponsorship will also be given to them.

Sindh University Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Siddique Kalhoro said that the SU was under financial stress for the last two years, therefore sports activities have been suspended for which special grant should be given to University.

VC Begum Nusrat Bhutto University Sukkur Dr Samreen Hussain said that sports opportunities should be created for women and girls.

LUMHS VC Dr. Bekha Ram said that according to research by the Psychiatric Society of America, physical exercise and sports increase the mental capacity of students by 20%. He said suicide incidents were on the rise due to mental stress.

Vice Chancellor Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Medical University Larkana Prof. Dr Anila Atta-ur-Rehman said that due to lack of budget, they were facing difficulties in paying salaries, therefore the Higher Education Commission and Sindh Government should release special grants for the universities.

Vice Chancellor MUET Dr. Muhammad Aslam Uqaili, Vice Chancellor Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur Dr. Khalil Ahmed Ibuputo, Dr. Tayyaba Zarrif, Vice Chancellor, Government College University, Hyderabad, Dr. Parveen Munshi, Vice Chancellor, University of Sufism and Modern Sciences, Bhitshah, Dr. Bhai Khan Shar, Vice Chancellor, Shaheed Allah Bakhsh Soomro University of Art, Design and Heritage, Dr Saleem Samo,Vice Chancellor Quaid-e-Awam Engineering University Nawabshah, Dr Akhter Baloch, Vice Chancellor Lyari General University Karachi, Dr Amanat Jalbani Vice Chancellor Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University Shaheed Benazirabad, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar , Director Sports Anwar Hussain Khanzada, Dr. Tehseen Fatima and others also addressed, while cultural gifts were given to the guests.