By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan is working on a plan to combat terror through sports, Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said.
Malik said Monday that the Peace Through Sports plan was being pursued to bring positive change in the young mindset and combat menace of terrorism and extremism, reported Associated Press of Pakistan.
“I believe that increased focus on sports will surely bring more people together and greatly facilitate our national efforts to check forces of extremism,” he said while addressing a function to ink an accord between the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Pakistan Hockey Federation to promote hockey in the country.
He said the idea that youth must be encouraged towards sports had been floated by Sports Minister Engineer Shaukatullah.
“Sports are very helpful in maintaining discipline and I am sure that promotion of sports across the country would not only be means (for bringing) laurels but also make the youth healthy,” Malik said.
The minister also emphasised on the need for more sports channels in Pakistan.
He announced Rs.5 million for the promotion of sports in Federal Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
Pakistan witnessed an increase in terror attacks specially after the May 2 killing of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.