Lahore, Pakistan, March 6, 2025: The first meeting of the Executive Committee of the Pakistan Olympic Association under the leadership of its newly-elected President Arif Saeed was held last week at the POA headquarters.
Among the main topics of discussion were new measures to further enhance athlete development, governance, strengthening ongoing initiatives and collaboration with stakeholders in the country.
In his opening address, President Arif Saeed underscored the need to refine athlete pathways, prioritize their well-being, and create an environment where they can entirely focus on excellence in performance and competition.
He reaffirmed POA’s commitment to collaborating with public authorities to drive solutions that strengthen sports and governance.
The Executive Committee also pledged to engage both public and private sectors to build sustainable athlete support systems and an active sports culture in Pakistan.
Other areas covered included:
· Confirmation that the 35th National Games will be held in Karachi from May 6-14, 2025. The sports programme will feature 26 sports for men and 23 sports for women.
· The first-ever National Youth Games will be held in Lahore from September 7-13, 2025. This inaugural edition will provide a structured platform for athletes aged 14-17 years, fostering talent for the Asian Youth Games and Youth Olympic Games.
· Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Chairman, Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, has been appointed Chef de Mission for the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain in October 2025.
· Karachi was chosen as the host city for the King’s Baton Relay for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026.
· The Committee also welcomed the approval of the Games schedule and programme for the 14th South Asian Games to be held in January 2026. This followed a successful meeting of the South Asian Olympic Council in Lahore last month.