The History of Peshawar Sports Complex / Qayyum Sports Complex

musarrat ullah jan -

 

Musarrat Ullah Jan

In June 1946, the first meeting of the NWFP Olympic Stadium Committee was held under the chairmanship of Brigadier A.M. Bruce Scott, the then Division Commander. It was decided to build an Olympic-style stadium at Polo Ground Peshawar. The foundation stone was laid by the then Provincial Finance Minister, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar. The plan was registered under the Indian Companies Act in January 1947.

In April 1947, the non-Muslim members of the committee migrated to India. In 1948, a new committee was formed, led by Major General Nasir Ahmed (late). He passed away in 1950, but the land remained under the committee's control.

Due to a lack of construction funds, a significant meeting was held in January 1952 under the Chief Minister of NWFP, Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan. A new stadium committee was formed and the Provincial Government took control of the project. To raise funds, 10,000 tickets were sold, and around Rs. 300,000 in donations were collected.

Construction began in 1952, and after the establishment of Pakistan, the stadium was named after Qayyum Khan, the then Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. By mid-1955, the main stadium and its surrounding wall were completed under the supervision of Sardar Abdur Rashid Khan, the Chief Minister at that time. In 1958, the high canopy was constructed by Gammons and Company through the Public Works Department (PWD).

Originally, the stadium only had a football ground spread across 29 acres and was managed by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB). Over time, land was reallocated—schools were built on it, and 5 acres were handed over to PSB Peshawar Center.

During the One Unit period, when West Pakistan’s four provinces were merged, control of the stadium shifted to the West Pakistan Government. After the dissolution of One Unit in 1971, it returned to the NWFP Government, and a new committee was formed.

There were repeated efforts to secure funds from the federal government. Two promising moments occurred:

In 1969, when National Athletics Championships were scheduled at the stadium, the President of Pakistan promised funding.

Again, on April 2, 1974, the then Federal Minister for Education, Sports, and Culture, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, announced a donation of Rs. 20,000 during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Despite reminders to the Interior Ministry, promises went unfulfilled.

The National Sports Trust (NST) was later established by the federal government to build stadiums and gymnasiums across provinces. It was decided to hand over the Peshawar Stadium to NST, which promised to develop it into a sports complex. Despite multiple appeals to the central government, no financial assistance materialized.

The land originally belonged to the Cantonment Board Peshawar, which leased it in 30-year terms. In the 1970s, the lease was granted at Rs. 53, which gradually increased.

 

In the 1980s, a board was formed based in Peshawar, overseen by a brigadier. Under Arbab Dost Muhammad’s leadership, PSB officials were relocated, and the Provincial Sports Department was established on-site. This later evolved into the Directorate of Sports.

During the 1990s, the old structures were demolished during National Games preparations. Today, the complex hosts 38+ sports facilities, serving as the headquarters for the Provincial Sports Directorate and the Merged Districts.

Key institutions include:

Qamar Zaman Squash Complex

Cricket Academy

PSB Coaching Centre (Established between 1985–1990)

The PSB Centre spans 24 acres, while the Coaching Centre covers 5 acres. The ground has hosted numerous international football and hockey matches, along with national games, wrestling, and boxing competitions.

#PeshawarStadium #SportsHistory #PakistanSports #UntoldStories #ForgottenLegacies #StadiumStruggles #SportsHeritage #OlympicDreams #KikxnowOriginal #HistoricPakistan #PeshawarDiaries #KPKHistory #NWFPArchives #PashtunPride #PeshawarPride #KnowYourRoots #LostPromises #ReviveSports #DocumentThePast #StoryMatters #VoicesOfTheNorth #Kikxnow #KikxnowInvestigates #KikxnowReports #KikxnowHistory #KikxnowSports

 

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