by Raheela Nazir
ISLAMABAD, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Uzair Ali, a successful software engineer and now a fitness enthusiast, said that he worked really hard in his life to reach this level. In the information technology industry, "spending more than 10 hours or even more a day in front of the laptop is common which I realized was not good for my health in the long term."
"I have recently revolted against this unhealthy habit. Now I try to use my laptop no more than 8 hours a day. I have also joined a sports complex near my house in Islamabad where I play football with my friends after work. Leading a healthy lifestyle has positive impacts in my life, I feel more energetic and healthier now," Ali told Xinhua Saturday.
Just like Uzair Ali, more and more people are now taking interest in the healthy lifestyle in Pakistan. This is mostly due to awareness created by the media and the Pakistani government's health policies, which have made people change their eating and exercise habits. Due to the rising trend of obtaining a healthy lifestyle, there is an increase demand for the gyms and sports facilities in the country.
Recently, the government of eastern Punjab province, Pakistan's most populous province and the home of some 100 million people, have launched various sports projects worth 10 billion Pakistani rupees (about 87 million U.S. dollars) in various cities of the province, which would be completed by the end of April, according to Punjab Sports Sector Development Steering Committee Chairman Hanif Abbasi.
On the occasion, Abbasi said, "Punjab government is utilising maximum available resources for uplift projects to facilitate the citizens, besides constructing sports facilities in schools, colleges and on available government land so that the energies of male and female students could be channelized in a constructive way and right direction."
Over the last couple of years, like other cities, the country's capital city of Islamabad also witnessed so many changes in the sports and fitness industry. In the years 2016 and 2017, many new sports complexes have been opened and upgraded in different areas of Islamabad.
There are 50 developed grounds in the city for different sports including 16 cricket, 12 football, four tennis courts and 15 multipurpose sports grounds, according to a local administration official.
At the beginning of the last year, Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation and Capital Development Authority (CDA) had invited the private sector to develop and upgrade different avenues, roads, parks, playgrounds, recreational areas, green belts, median strips and roundabouts under the "Own a Park," "Own a Ground" and "Own a Roundabout" programme.
Under the programme, many sports grounds in different areas of the capital were handed over to private organizations and firms for upgradation and renovation.
The mayor of Islamabad Sheikh Ansar Aziz has recently inaugurated two of the sports complexes in Sector F-8 and Sector G-5 areas of the city. The grounds existed before but renovated by a private firm under the CDA's Corporate Social Responsibility program.
"The ground was in a dilapidated condition when it was handed over for beautification and upgradation to a private company. After just 40 days, the ground has been opened for general public," Aziz said at the time of Sector f-8 sports complex's inauguration.
"The provision of state of the art sports facilities to the residents of the capital is my top priority," Aziz stated, adding that after upgrading different types of facilities are provided including Futsal, Cricket, Football, Basketball and others indoor/outdoor games. Furthermore, proper arrangements for the light have also been carried out in addition to plantation of shady trees.
The people of different ages are pleased to have advanced sports facilities nearby their houses. In addition, some people do not mind travelling to other sectors of the capital to visit the sports facility of their choice. Due to the recent sports events in the country, people are encouraged to head towards the play grounds and sports facilities to play different games, said a senior local administration official.
Talking to Xinhua, Hameed-ul-Haq, a former captain and coach of Pakistan Davis Cup team, appreciated the capital administration's move of upgradation and renovation of sports grounds in different areas of the city.
"It is a good initiative and the government, with limited resources, can do much more by partnering with the public sector. In fact, the local governments in other cities across Pakistan should also follow this idea," he said, adding that there is a dearth of sports grounds and parks in other cities. Still, a large number of children play in streets and on roads in Pakistan.
While stressing the need to further promote sports culture in the country, Haq opined that the government should ensure that newly developed housing societies should have sports facilities. This could be enforced through government legislation regarding housing societies across the country.
Local sports analysts believe that the rising health-consciousness trend in the country is quite beneficial for Pakistan's people and economy, and thus should be encouraged. This can be done by launching awareness programs at all levels, including schools, colleges and mass media. In addition, nutrition and exercise centres should be established in residential areas so that people have easy access to these facilities.
