Pakistan’s National Sports Policy 2026: Reform, Reality, and the Questions Nobody Is Answering
Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator After nearly two decades, the federal government has unveiled a draft of the National Sports Policy 2026, a document that promises to transform Pakistan's sports landscape. The policy aims to reduce bureaucratic control, grant greater autonomy to sports federations, introduce sports science and data analytics, recognize esports, and ultimately help Pakistan become a regular Olympic medal-winning nation. On paper, it is an ambitious vision. In practice, however, several critical questions remain unanswered. Autonomy for Federations: Freedom or Lack of Accountability? The centerpiece of the proposed policy is the promise of administrative and financial autonomy for National Sports Federations and the Pakistan Olympic Association. The idea aligns with international sporting principles, where governments are discouraged from interfering in sports governance. Yet Pakistan's reality is more complicated. Many sports federati...