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KP Sports Directorate Employees’ Salaries Missing: Record Gap Between AG Office and State Bank

  Musarrat UIlah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator Employees of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sports Directorate have not received their salaries for two months, causing severe financial and mental stress, especially during Ramadan and Eid. The provincial Sports Directorate had sent all salaries on time to the Accountant General (AG) office , so that after approval, payments could be processed through the State Bank of Pakistan . However, there is a discrepancy between the AG office and the State Bank regarding the funds. The AG office claims that the money was transferred, while the State Bank confirms that it has not been received. This delay has left employees frustrated, while the provincial Sports Directorate is under pressure, unable to respond adequately to employees visiting their offices with questions and complaints. Experts say the gap between the AG office and the State Bank highlights a failure in fund transfer tracking and accountability , directly affecting employees ...

Pakistan’s Departmental Sports Collapse: A System Dismantled, a Revival Stuck in Statements

  Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow  , Digital Creator Pakistan’s sports crisis did not emerge overnight. It is the result of a series of decisions, miscalculations, and, more importantly, a failure to understand how deeply sports systems are tied to economic security and institutional continuity. At the center of this crisis lies one defining shift: the dismantling of departmental sports, followed by a promised revival that, so far, exists only in statements. When the government led by Imran Khan moved to end departmental sports, the decision was presented as a reform. The official narrative suggested that state institutions should not carry the burden of maintaining sports teams and that Pakistan needed to transition toward a modern, club-based model similar to those in Europe. On paper, it sounded progressive. In practice, it proved deeply disconnected from ground realities. Departmental sports in Pakistan were never just about representation or competition. They were a pa...

Five Years, One Meeting, and the Same Old Promise

  Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s sports circles, hope often arrives in the same familiar package: a delegation, a government office, a round of concerns, a round of assurances, a few photographs, and the next day’s headlines. Then the silence returns—and the system remains exactly where it was. This week, the pattern repeated once again as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Olympic Association met Adviser to the Chief Minister on Sports and Youth Affairs Taj Muhammad Khan Tarand. On paper, it looked like progress: senior officials in attendance, stakeholders raising “key issues,” a promise of support, and renewed commitments to athletes and associations. But behind the formalities sits a single, stubborn reality that has haunted KP sports for half a decade: **sports associations in the province have gone five years without government grants.** Five years is not an administrative delay. It is institutional breakdown. During these years, athlet...

Analytical Review of the Modern Sports Ground Project in Peshawar

  Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator Peshawar: Provincial Minister Mina Khan Afridi has inaugurated a modern sports ground project at Government Shaheed Hasnain Sharif Higher Secondary School No. 1. While the project’s features and promises have been announced, practical and administrative aspects remain unclear. Safe walking and jogging track for women Futsal ground for youth Synthetic jogging track Basketball and volleyball courts Cricket practice area LED lights and boundary wall Key Concerns Identified: Responsibility and Funding Unclear: It is not clear whether the project will be funded by the Provincial Sports Directorate, the local government, or the Education Department. A squash court built three years ago in the same school, costing PKR 12 million, has not been handed over to anyone and remains unused, raising questions about the effective implementation of new projects. There are no details on daily maintenance, security, or usage reg...

KP Player Involved in On-Court Incident During Squash Match

  Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator A video circulating widely on social media shows a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) squash player allegedly slapping an opponent during a match in Punjab. The clip has drawn significant attention and sparked debate among fans and sports communities. Some viewers claim that the referee may have acted unfairly during the match. However, according to official squash rules, physical retaliation by a player against an opponent or referee is never acceptable. Experts say the correct procedure in such cases includes: Filing a formal complaint with the tournament committee or relevant sports federation. Reporting the incident with evidence, including video footage and witness statements. Ensuring due process is followed to evaluate any alleged misconduct by officials. Under professional squash regulations, any physical aggression can result in immediate disciplinary action, including suspension, fines, or a temporary ban. The incident h...

Hockey in Pakistan: A Sport at a Crossroads

  Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator Hockey in Pakistan, once the pride of a nation, is now facing an existential crisis. A closer look reveals that this decline is not accidental—it is a systemic failure, one that has been ignored for decades. The real question is not why hockey is declining, but why no sustained effort has been made to save it. Every year, the Pakistan Hockey Federation promises a revival. Talent will be discovered. The game will be promoted nationwide. National glory will return. On paper, it sounds convincing. On the ground, the reality tells a different story. There is no coherent policy, no real grassroots investment, and no structural system capable of consistently producing players. The School Level Vacuum The foundation of any successful sport begins at the school level. In Pakistan, this foundation is crumbling. Public schools rarely have: Functional hockey grounds Qualified coaches Proper equipment For many children, playing...

Women Athletes Missing in Merged Districts: KP Sports Directorate RTI Still Pending

  Musarrat Ullah Jan  , KikxNow , Digital Creator Peshawar: An investigative journalist has filed a request under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013 seeking details about sports clubs and player registrations in the merged districts. However, the request, submitted in December 2025, remains unanswered. The journalist requested data from Bajaur, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan, and South Waziristan on the number of registered sports clubs, the types of sports they offer, and the number of male and female players. The request also asked for explanations for the absence of registered women athletes and any corrective actions taken by the Sports Directorate. Official records indicate hundreds of clubs and thousands of male athletes are active in these districts, but there is no formal record of female player registration. Despite the Director General of Sports sending instructions to district offices, no response has been provided to date...

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sports Offices: RTI Still Pending After a Year, Accountability in Question

  Musarrat Ullah Jan, kikxNow , Digital Creator Peshawar – Nearly a year after an RTI request was filed to the Directorate General of Sports, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the requested information remains undelivered. The request, submitted in April 2025, sought detailed records of fuel consumption, generator usage, monthly fuel allocations, and maintenance reports for district sports offices in Charsadda, Peshawar, Nowshera, Bannu, and Swat for the period of July 2024 to March 2025. The RTI request was prompted by widespread suspicions of financial irregularities: officials allegedly submitted fraudulent documents to claim fuel funds, often showing the fuel was used for tournaments that may not have actually occurred. These accusations suggest deliberate manipulation of public resources, raising serious questions about governance, oversight, and accountability in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s sports administration. Under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act, 2013, the Directorate i...

Peshawar Sports Complex: Kite Flying and the Inequality of Law

  Musarrat Ullah Jan, kikxNow , Digital Creator At Peshawar Sports Complex, what appears to be a harmless pastime actually exposes a glaring disregard for rules and the unchecked influence of officials. During Ramadan, children of certain officials have been entering the complex and flying kites daily on the hockey ground between Asr and Maghrib. The problem is not the activity itself, but the unequal application of the law. Any ordinary citizen or athlete attempting the same would face immediate action. Yet the children of officials operate without consequence. One day, a sports advisor personally intervened and chased them away, even taking a class for Class Four employees—but the practice continued unabated. This is not just fun; it is a clear case of power being abused. Staff members fear confronting these children because they risk the wrath of influential parents. The law, it seems, does not apply equally: it is effectively suspended for the children of the powerful. ...

“A Year Waiting: The 1000 Sports Facilities Project and KP’s Accountability Gap”

  Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator Nearly a year has passed since a Right to Information (RTI) request was submitted to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Directorate of Sports regarding the ambitious “1000 Sports Facilities” project, yet critical information remains undisclosed. The project, intended to modernize sports infrastructure across the province, has become a case study in bureaucratic opacity and delayed accountability. The RTI, filed in April 2025, sought detailed records spanning 2020 to 2024, including: District-wise and year-wise allocation of funds. A comprehensive list of completed and under-construction sports facilities, specifying location, type, and current status. Records of all project directors appointed since the project’s inception, including appointment procedures, advertisements, interviews, and approvals. Details of vehicles, machinery, and equipment purchased or allocated for the project, with quantity, type, cost, and current locati...