E-Khuli Kachehri or a Catalogue of Complaints? Athletes Across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Expose the Ground Reality of Sports

 

Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator

PESHAWAR: The 48-minute E-Khuli Kachehri organized by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sports and Youth Affairs Department was intended to provide citizens with direct access to senior officials, including the Secretary Sports and the Director General Sports. While the initiative was designed as a platform for public engagement, the discussion revealed something much deeper. Rather than isolated complaints, it exposed a province-wide pattern of long-standing issues affecting athletes, sports facilities, youth development, and governance.

Participants from different districts used the opportunity to raise concerns that have remained unresolved for years. Their questions reflected frustration over neglected infrastructure, the shortage of coaches, inactive sports complexes, delayed development projects, lack of youth programs, and the absence of transparency in the use of public funds.

Although the complaints came from different regions and represented different sports, they pointed toward a common conclusion: the challenges facing sports in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are systemic rather than local.

One of the strongest voices came from Hangu, where residents described the district sports complex as being in a deteriorating condition. According to participants, the facility suffers from broken infrastructure, missing safety grills, poor drainage, accumulated waste, and a complete lack of sports equipment. They also questioned why no major sporting event had been organized in the district for several years and asked where the allocated funds were being spent.

Similar concerns emerged from the merged districts. Representatives from Hassan Khel stated that although a sports complex has already been constructed, it has never become fully operational because permanent staff have not been appointed. They claimed that not a single government-sponsored sporting event has been organized in the area between 2018 and 2026, leaving local youth without opportunities to participate in organized sports. Their message was simple: they were not asking for special treatment but for equal rights and equal access to public sports facilities.

Athletes from Landi Kotal and other merged districts also complained that players are frequently shifted between different offices whenever they seek assistance. They argued that administrative confusion has created barriers instead of support for athletes representing these regions.

Infrastructure delays formed another major theme during the session. Participants highlighted the delayed construction of the grassy football ground in Swat, the unfinished football ground in Jamrud, and pending development funds for a playground in Upper Dir. Residents from Lakki Marwat also demanded rehabilitation of their Mini Sports Stadium and called for additional facilities for cricket players. These complaints suggest that many approved projects remain incomplete long after their announcement, depriving local communities of basic sporting infrastructure.
Hockey representatives from Bajaur, Buner and Lower Dir presented another set of concerns. They requested solar power systems, improved floodlights and sprinkler systems to protect hockey turfs and ensure regular training despite electricity shortages. Representatives from Bajaur also pointed out that despite continuous efforts since 2022, the district still lacks a formally recognized hockey association, making organized development of the sport difficult.
Women's sports also found a place in the discussion. One participant called for the construction of an indoor tartan track dedicated to female athletes, arguing that proper facilities are essential if the province wants to improve women's participation and performance in sports.

Perhaps one of the most significant issues raised was the shortage of qualified coaches. Participants questioned why permanent coaches have not been recruited since the recruitment process conducted in 2016. Cricket, in particular, was highlighted as a sport suffering from a severe shortage of professional coaching staff, with many coaching positions still being filled through daily-wage arrangements instead of permanent appointments.

Youth Affairs issues were equally prominent. District Youth Officers demanded a clear service structure and promotion policy, arguing that career progression has remained stagnant for years. Citizens also questioned what percentage of the annual Youth Affairs budget actually reaches youth clubs and athletes at the district level. Participants from Lakki Marwat asked why cultural festivals, traditional sports competitions, literary events and youth activities that were once regularly organized have gradually disappeared.
The discussion also touched on governance and accountability. A participant from Hangu requested a transparent investigation into government-sponsored youth tours for minority communities, raising concerns about how such programs are managed and monitored.

When viewed collectively, these concerns reveal an important pattern. Citizens were not demanding expensive international projects or ambitious policy announcements. Instead, they asked for the basics: functional sports complexes, trained coaches, completed development projects, transparent spending of public funds, active youth programs, and equal access to sports opportunities across all districts, including the merged areas.

The E-Khuli Kachehri succeeded in giving citizens a platform to speak directly to senior officials. However, its true success will not be measured by the number of questions raised during a 48-minute livestream. It will be judged by whether those questions result in measurable action.

If sports complexes remain abandoned, coaching vacancies stay unfilled, infrastructure projects continue to be delayed, and youth activities remain inactive, future public hearings are likely to feature the same complaints once again.

The voices heard during this E-Khuli Kachehri delivered a clear message. Athletes across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are not demanding extraordinary privileges. They are asking for functioning facilities, fair opportunities, accountable governance, and a sports system that delivers on its promises. Whether those demands lead to meaningful reforms now depends on the response of the Sports and Youth Affairs Department.

#KPSports #KhyberPakhtunkhwa #SportsDevelopment #YouthAffairs #SportsGovernance #SportsInfrastructure #AthleteVoices #GrassrootsSports #PublicAccountability #PakistanSports #GoodGovernance #YouthDevelopment #SportsPolicy #Kikxnow #InvestigativeJournalism