Punjab Minister for Sports Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar, alongside Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir and Minister of Local Government and Community Development Zeeshan Rafiq, inaugurated the Rs 2 billion Sports Endowment Fund and the Rs 1 billion Chief Minister Internship Programme at a ceremony held at the CM Secretariat on Wednesday. The event was attended by Secretary Sports Punjab Muzaffar Khan Sial, DG Sports Punjab Pervez Iqbal, LWMC Chairman Bilal Zulfiqar Ali Khokhar, Director Admin Dr. M Kaleem, Director Sports Yasmeen Akhtar, Director Youth Affairs Rana Nadeem Anjum, and numerous athletes.
During the ceremony, Faisal Khokhar announced that the top 200 athletes would receive monthly stipends in three tiers: Rs 70,000 for platinum, Rs 50,000 for gold, and Rs 30,000 for silver, marking the first time such substantial honorariums are being awarded in Punjab. He assured that the selection of athletes for the Sports Endowment Fund and Chief Minister Internship Programme was based purely on merit, with no personal recommendations.
Khokhar also highlighted that the Sports Endowment Fund would support the athletes’ nutrition and that the Chief Minister Internship Programme would provide Rs 25,000 per month to 6,000 graduates, with plans to increase this number to 12,000 graduates next year. Additionally, the fund will establish high-performance training camps and offer comprehensive support for top athletes, including training, injury management, and participation in international competitions.
Secretary Sports Punjab Muzaffar Khan Sial and DG Sports Punjab Pervez Iqbal also spoke at the event. Pervez Iqbal noted an increase in the stipend amount for the Emergingstaff category, raising it from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per month.
