Pakistan marked a significant step in grassroots sports development with the groundbreaking of its first FIFA-standard Arena in Lahore’s Subzazar area, 24NewsHD TV reported on Saturday.
The ceremony was led by Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, and attended by government representatives, football administrators, and community leaders.
The initiative was introduced by Syed Mohsen Gilani, President of the Pakistan Football Federation, who said the project was developed in line with the prime minister’s vision for sports development. “This is a historic day,” Gilani said.
Rana Mashhood said the facility reflected Pakistan’s broader ambition to develop sporting talent at the grassroots level, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was expected to inaugurate the completed arena.
“The next Pelé, the next Diego Maradona, the next Marta could emerge from Pakistan,” he said.
“Real progress in sport begins at the grassroots, and this facility will play a vital role in that journey.”