KikxNow , Digital Creator

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – Kikxnow Digital Creator Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – The vision of a world-class Tartan Running Track for the Peshawar athletes remains nothing more than a vision. What was conceived as a pinnacle of sporting achievement at the Peshawar Sports Directorate has turned into a tale of spiraling costs, mysterious delays, and escalating public discontent. For the third time, this already extravagant project is presented with another budget hike, which evokes outrage and renews apprehensions of unchecked corruption in the sports development of the province. To begin with, the project's PC-1 (Project Concept-1) was sanctioned for a cost of barely more than Rs. 380 million. This soon grew to Rs. 680 million, the Directorate boldly promising completion by December 2024. However, with the deadline approaching, the track is still incomplete, and the contractor, instead of being penalized for the delay, is now said to be lobbying for yet another dollop of finances. ...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – KikxNow Digital Creator It is a peculiar mystery at the Lala Ayub Hockey Stadium, one of the most prominent stadiums in Peshawar. Nine bathrooms on the stadium's rooftop have been cleared out. The taps, showers, and other expensive fixtures, paid for using public money and vital for the facility's sportsmen, have disappeared into thin air. The most surprising thing is how silently it happened. There has been no official investigation, and no First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged, and no person has been brought to book. The robbery, it seems, took place under an institutional silence. A former sports officer is said by sources to have directed a daily-wage staff and a permanent government servant by word to take away the fixtures. The reason, they were informed, was to let a contractor put new ones in place. This directive was not accompanied by any written sanction or authorized plan. When the old fittings were pulled out, the contractor prot...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – Kikxnow Digital Creator Peshawar — August 4: Another case of bureaucratic delay, the Directorate of Sports for Merged Areas, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's official website (mergedsports.kp.gov.pk) continues to mention Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq as Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs — a job he relinquished a while back, when Amer Afaq took charge and is indeed discharging his responsibilities. The dated profile is not merely a minor clerical mistake — it's a blinding oversight in e-governance. While the provincial Sports and Youth Affairs Department's primary platforms reflect Amer Afaq's recent activities, the consolidated areas portal is stuck in the past, misleading stakeholders, journalists, and the general public. Critics argue that such negligence erodes the department's credibility and raises discomfiting questions: If the leadership profile is inaccurate, how accurate is the posted budget, tenders, and sports event information? Who is account...

Musarrat Ullah Jan – Kikxnow digital artist Mardan — The Regional Sports Office in Mardan recently issued its procurement report for the financial year 2024-25, showing purchases made on sports equipment, maintenance items, stationery, and promotional materials. The report has, however, generated eyebrows from local sports circles regarding the transparency and need for the buys. The office incurred millions in a broad array of products such as trophies, Pakistan and Kashmir flags, and myriad sporting equipment for shot put, discus, javelin, cricket, hockey, volleyball, football, squash, badminton, and table tennis, says the official document. The equipment was allegedly bought upon athletes' demands and some of it remains in stock to be distributed as required, according to the report. Apart from sporting gear, the office also bought grounds and complex maintenance supplies, including water pipes, LED bulbs, wire cables, cleaning supplies, plants, shovels, sickles, and chemi...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – Kikxnow digital artist A nepotism-based scandal has been revealed within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Sports Directorate. A high-ranking official is charged with masterminding the permanent appointment of his brother-in-law, a decision that was circumventing regular procedures and not transparent. The scandal is about a man named Hamza, who is the in-law of a senior directorate official. Hamza, sources say, was first employed in 2022 as an electrician for the "1000 Sports Facilities Project." The issue is, he had no diploma and no experience relevant to the position, sources say. The matter worsened after Hamza was allegedly transferred permanently to a post as a storekeeper in the Operations Division. The process of regularization by then Project Director Murad Ali and then DG Khalid Khan had been done without a public advertisement or any of the standard legal requirements. Critics say this is a clear contravention of recruitment rules and a sign...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – Kikxnow digital creator Peshawar — The Sports Directorate of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is again in the midst of criticism for outright violation of official instructions. In spite of explicit instructions from the Sports Minister and DG Sports to close down the courts and gyms after specified time, the Squash Court and Badminton Hall are open late into the night — turned into high-end private coaching facilities for the elites. It is then quietly reopened during the evening when regular players depart, opening the facilities only to those who pay exorbitant amounts to the selective coaches, hence a clear "money-first, talent-later" system. This has raised eyebrows among ordinary athletes and further increased the class divide within the sports community in the province. Investigations uncover that the evening closure instructions are being brazenly defied. Security personnel stationed at the courts are said to remain mum — purportedly in fear or coercion...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – Kikxnow digital creator Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sports Directorate is again in the news for allegedly undermining merit and offending a national hero. Mohibullah Jr., a former world number two squash player and holder of the prestigious Pride of Performance award, was purportedly instructed to obtain a recommendation from the Sports Minister for securing a coaching job. This is despite his great career and body of work that involves producing internationally renowned sportspersons. On the directives of Mohibullah Jr., who is a former director of the Pakistan Sports Board's Peshawar center and has a squash court named after him, and who was looking for a daily wage job in the directorate, the latter was instead advised by Chief Coach Shafqatullah to go and meet with the Sports Minister for a recommendation. This case has highlighted a disturbing trend in the directorate. Intelligencers say a "troika" of officials have been abusing the hiring process...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – Kikxnow digital creator The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sports Directorate is once again facing scrutiny, with new recruitments seemingly following the same old, non-transparent practices. Despite the dismissal of 297 employees last year, a new wave of hiring appears to be prioritizing existing and former staff, rather than seeking fresh talent. According to sources, a disturbing pattern is emerging. Many employees, especially those based in Peshawar and Mardan, are reportedly ghost employees—they collect a salary but are rarely, if ever, seen on the field or in the office. This includes some coaches who are allegedly holding down double jobs, working at private gyms while still drawing a government paycheck. Even more astonishing, some government-salaried employees are reportedly working as salesmen in private stores, yet have been provided government accommodation. This situation is said to be particularly pronounced for those from the Chief Minister's constitue...

    Musarrat Ullah Jan . Kikxnow , digital creator   Peshawar's District Sports Office is under fire for allegedly spending more than three times its released budget for the fiscal year 2024-25. This significant financial discrepancy raises serious questions about transparency and the proper use of public funds meant for sports development.   The office, operating under the PR21C46 – Sports, Culture, Tourism & Museum fund, was allocated a total budget of PKR 20.299 million. However, the government released only PKR 5.455 million. Despite this, the office reportedly spent an astounding PKR 18.812 million, which is roughly 93% of its total budget and over four times the amount actually released.   A critical question looms: How were these expenses incurred without the necessary released funds, and under what authority? If these expenditures truly fall under the 2024-25 fiscal year, why have there been no visible sports activities, new talent emer...

    Musarrat Ullah Jan . Kikxnow , digital creator   The Peshawar Sports Complex football and athletics ground has remained stuck in a project that is neither finished nor properly shelved for years now. The objective was to lay an international-standard tartan track, but five years on, athletes still lack a field, no events have been organized, and nobody has been held accountable.   The original PC-1 (Project Concept-1) of the project was prepared for PKR 380 million. But through amendments, false delays, and fresh claims, it went up to PKR 680 million. Yet, nothing was done on ground, and the track was never laid out. During all this time, the project remained in files, jumping between concerned departments and the C&W Department. Astoundingly, a third PC-1 is in the making, with the cost of the project set to increase three to fourfold at least, and possibly exceed PKR 2 billion.   Sources indicate the initial intention to lay a "sandwich s...

      Musarrat Ullah Jan . Kikxnow , digital creator   The District Sports Office in Charsadda is facing a storm of questions over its recent financial conduct. Despite receiving only PKR 24.4 million in government funds for the fiscal year 2024-25, the office managed to spend an astonishing PKR 42.99 million—nearly double the released amount and a significant 78% of its total allocated budget of PKR 55.13 million. This substantial overspending, detailed under the CA21C46 – Sports, Culture, Tourism & Museum fund, has raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability.   The glaring discrepancy between funds received and funds spent has prompted calls for investigation. Questions are swirling: Was this additional spending authorized? Or were funds illicitly diverted from other departments? This lack of clarity points to a significant breakdown in financial oversight.   Sources reveal that the lion's share of the expenditure wen...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – KikxNow… Digital Creator A Khyber Pakhtunkhwa citizen has filed a valuable information request to the Directorate of Sports, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the Right to Access to Information Act, 2013, for information on the illegal recruitment made under the 1000 Sports Facilities Project of an official named Hamza who was previously posted as an electrician and illegal appointments afterwards. The candidate has clearly mentioned a person who was initially hired as an electrician, and subsequently appointed as a storekeeper with no advertisement or qualification. The aspects on which details have been asked in the application are:   In respect of the electrician hired in the year 2022: A copy of the advertisement published for recruitment Academic qualification and professional experience of the candidate Recruitment process, details of test or interview Names and designations of the individuals appearing for the test/interview Name and designat...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – KikxNow… Digital Creator In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's heart, a defining tenet of democracy—the right to know—is being put to test in the Bannu Sports Complex. What was to be a simple exercise in participatory democracy has become a frustrating wait, as a citizen's essential request for public interest information is left without an answer, casting doubt on public affairs' transparency. On 14th July, a citizen of concern, exercising all their rights under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information (RTI) Act 2013, requested in-depth information on the shops within Bannu Sports Complex. It wasn't an off-the-cuff question; it was a highly specific request intended to bring insights on the management and allotment of precious public resources. The request carefully set forth a succession of essential questions, all of them in the interest of the public: A comprehensive list of all shops established within the complex. The date of allotment, the p...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – KikxNow… Digital Creator The very nature of public trust relies on transparency, yet in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a disturbing quiet has descended over the Directorate of Sports and the Peshawar Sports Complex. What could have been an elementary question about information, a basic right as per the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013, has instead revealed a distressing absence of accountability, casting a long shadow over the administration of key public assets. It all began on July 4th, when a conscientious citizen, wielding the authority of the RTI Act, requested vital information regarding the security and IT infrastructure of these well-known establishments. The questions were straightforward and essential: How many CCTV cameras are there at the Peshawar Sports Complex? When were they installed, and how many of them are actually functional? What were the expenses, and who maintains them? Likewise, the citizen inquired about the computers at the ...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – Kikxnow Digital Creator When the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) swept into power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in 2013, their mantra was "corruption-free governance" and a "merit-based system." True to their word, in 2016, the provincial assembly, after modifying the Ehtesab Commission Act, enacted a milestone piece of legislation: The Conflict of Interest and Nepotism Prevention Act 2016. This legislation was revolutionary. It clearly banned government office-holders and state officials from recruiting their close family members in departments where they exercised influence or dominance. It further required that such appointments be reported to an independent commission or ombudsman, and that violating such a requirement would attract penalties ranging from departmental action and employment dismissal to prosecution in a court of law. This was legislation PTI had campaigned on itself, aimed at defending the very ideals they espoused. Howev...

  Musarrat ullah Jan – KikxNow digital Creator What was meant to be an electrifying kabaddi challenge match between fierce rivals from Peshawar and Charsadda at the Shah Tehamas Football Ground in Peshawar turned into a chaotic scene yesterday evening, ultimately leading to the match's postponement. Anticipation for the showdown was palpable, and by around 6 PM, a massive crowd of enthusiastic kabaddi fans had descended upon the ground. Their excitement, however, soon became the event's undoing. Instead of settling into designated seating, a large number of spectators surged onto the ground itself, creating a palpable security risk. Both the Peshawar and Charsadda kabaddi teams, citing safety concerns due to the overwhelming presence of fans on the playing area, refused to take the field. Organizers quickly called in local police to help manage the situation and clear the ground, hoping to salvage the highly anticipated match. Despite repeated pleas and instructions for...

  Musarrat ullah Jan – KikxNow digital Creator Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – In a strange turn of events at the Sports Directorate Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, electrical transformer coils that went missing under mysterious circumstances have reappeared overnight just as mysteriously. This "miraculous" appearance follows close on the heels of a viral news report of the theft, fueling suspicions of a cover-up. Only recently, news emerged that crucial coils from the directorate's power transformer went missing. Sources say upon hearing of the theft, the acting supervisor and administrator directed security staff to initiate an inquiry right away. It was even reported that the administration was ready to submit a First Information Report (FIR) to the police. But it still has not materialized. The game was afoot when the actual evidence at the heart of the proposed FIR – the pilfered coils – "returned" overnight. Questions come tumbling in: Who brought them back? Unde...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – Kikxnow Digital Creator As part of the Independence Day celebrations, an exciting archery competition was held at Peshawar Sports Complex . The closing ceremony was attended by former Sports Minister Syed Aqil Shah , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Olympic Association’s Haroon Zafar , Director General Sports Tashfeen Haider , District Sports Officer Peshawar Kashif Farhan , and other officials from the Sports Directorate . The event featured Under-15 and Under-19 categories for both male and female participants. In the Under-15 boys’ category, Ariz secured first place while Hashir came second. In the girls’ category, Aiza claimed the top spot followed by Maria. In the Under-19 boys’ event, Hamdan and Sinan stood out with strong performances. Cash prizes were awarded to the winners by DG Sports Tashfeen Haider and Syed Aqil Shah. A friendly archery match was also held between the DG Sports team and the Minister for Sports team, with the DG Sports side winning on po...

  Musarrat ullah Jan – KikxNow . digital creator In spite of lofty declarations about sports development in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the facts are as distant as ever. As per sports policy, a person who is elected to an association or any sports gathering once cannot be re-elected for the same office for the second time. Sadly, this norm is being repeatedly flouted. It seems most sports associations ignore this policy, and maintain no code of conduct. Several associations have also held elections in secret with Sports Directorate officials participating in them. Subsequent to the elections, surprise photos appeared, indicating some people had been re-appointed to the same posts they were already in. The most shocking thing is that most of the sports associations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are not even registered with any government organization like the Pakistan Sports Board or Sports Directorate. Yet, they portray themselves as "national representatives" and recei...

  Musarrat ullah Jan – KikxNow . digital creator Major discrepancies and questions have arisen about the sports budget for sports activities and expenditure incurred in Abbottabad for the financial year 2024-25. The facts were uncovered after a petition was requested under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The RTI application dated May 14th produced a reply from the Regional Sports Office that PKR 2.9 million (29 lakh) were earmarked for sports activities and were "fully utilized," including taxes. The reply also asserted that a total of 24 activities were organized. But key information like a complete description of these activities, where they took place, what their nature was, or whether there was any information regarding participants was noticeably missing. In contrast to that, information presented by the Finance Department presented a different scenario. As per their accounts, the overall budgetary estimate of the Regional Sports Office Abbottabad for 2024-25 w...

  Musarrat ullah Jan – KikxNow . digital creator In a major administrative shake-up, the Finance Department of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has sanctioned the abolition of seven posts of District Sports Officers in the Directorate General of Sports. The reorganization, coming into effect for the ongoing financial year 2025-26, marks a change in the sports administration of the province. The order, communicated in a July 16, 2025, letter by the Finance Department to the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Secretary of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sports and Youth Affairs Department, is based on a preceding reference received on May 21, 2025. The seven posts that have been cancelled are for District Sports officers in Swat, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu, and D.I. Khan, as well as the DDO Code of District Sports Officers. As per the directive, the existing staff in these positions has already been transferred to the concerned Regional Sports Offices. The memo fu...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – Kikxnow Digital Creator As part of the ambitious Good Governance Roadmap for 2025-26, the Elementary and Secondary Education Department had taken a giant leap: all primary, middle, high, and higher secondary schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would soon boast good sports facilities.   The need for play and physical activity had been sacrificed for far too long, but not anymore. This new policy announced that sports were to be accorded equal importance with studies. The order was straightforward: schools that had open space available were to create playgrounds. Indoor games facilities would be given for those schools in densely populated areas with not enough outdoor space. This was not a recommendation; it was an edict designed to promote healthy-rounded development for all children. Male and female District Education Officers were directed to obtain detailed information, school by school, cluster by cluster, forthwith. The format was strict – no devi...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – KikxNow .Digital Creator Khyber Pakhtunkhwa News may have broken the story, but the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Sports Directorate, in a departure from their customary sluggishness, has answered an RTI (Right to Information) query about poor quality work on the machinery and turf of the Lala Ayub Hockey Stadium, indicating substandard work. In their response (Number 17/RTI/2025/898-900), sent to journalist Musarrat Ullah Jan on July 18, 2025, they simply wrote: "The project of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) was completed, therefore, they are responsible." But this answer neatly excludes any reference to cost, length, or supervising officers. And it also ignores the KP Sports Directorate's task of sanctioning, transferring, or reporting on the project. Lala Ayub Hockey Stadium, which was one time a bustling center for national hockey greats, is now the emblem of lost money, opaque shopping, and secretive decision-making, all in the name of a ...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – Kikxnow digital creator The journalist, a seasoned and respected voice in the sports world, was no stranger to controversy. He had spent years shining a light on the darker corners of the sports directorate, exposing corruption and mismanagement where others feared to tread. His latest investigation centered on the Maazullah Khan Cricket Academy, a place that was supposed to be a nurturing ground for young talent but had instead become a source of personal gain for some officials.   He had uncovered a web of irregularities: private coaching fees charged to children, overpriced kits and bags sold to them, and even monthly payments for locker space. He had also revealed how players from a specific club were getting free training under the guise of being "senior players." His reporting, as always, was accurate and relentless. But this time, it came with a heavy price. The threats began subtly, then escalated. Anonymous, fake social media accounts flo...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan – KikxNow .Digital Creator Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Sports Directorate is at a crossroads. While prospects for budding sportspeople are diminishing, corruption, malpractices, and back-door contracts with government officials are coming to light. The Right to Information (RTI) Act is turning out to be the game-changer in baring these secrets. For the last one year, many RTI applications submitted by Kikxnow have been rejected outright, responded to evasively, or given vague answers by the Sports Directorate. Some districts have actually conceded that the respective files do not exist, while others have canceled requests as "inappropriate." Circles in the sporting fraternity claim that "RTI can lift the veil on all the corruption that has been hidden over the last decade. This is precisely why institutions are reluctant to provide transparent answers." The Anti-Corruption Department, in May 2024, had issued a 27-point questionnaire to the Spo...