Pakistan's preparations for hosting South Asian Games 2025 alarmingly slow

With the clock ticking, Pakistan’s efforts to prepare for the 14th South Asian Games appear stalled. While occasional meetings are taking place, no tangible progress has been seen so far.

On Monday the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) held separate meetings with national sports federations to gather detailed reports on the status of venues and their estimated renovation costs.

With only six months remaining until the Games, no organizing committee has been constituted nor has a secretariat been established.

A source who played a key role in organizing the 2004 South Asian Games in Islamabad told Nukta that preparations back then were far more efficient. “I was part of the operations wing and everything was running smoothly. The PSB Director General at the time had significant authority and responded promptly to federations’ needs,” the source said.

“We had better funding as well. The Pakistan Sports Trust (PST) was actively spending on preparations and overall momentum was much better. But this time the pace is simply too slow."

Officials confirm that even the venues have not been finalized yet. “There is still ongoing debate over how many disciplines will be hosted in Islamabad and how many in Lahore,” the source added.

Another unresolved issue is the division of financial responsibility between the federal and Punjab governments. While Lahore is expected to host 21 sports disciplines and to serve as the Games secretariat, Faisalabad is currently designated to host only handball competitions.

Teams’ preparation is another pressing concern. To achieve competitive results, athletes will need extensive training, including support from foreign coaches and opportunities for international exposure.

However there seems to be no structured plan in place for training camps. The current approach appears reactive with authorities likely to fill gaps only at the last minute.

This will be the third time Pakistan is going to host the South Asian Games, having previously done so in 1989 and 2004. The POA, led by industrialist Arif Saeed, who enjoys close ties with the federal government, must urgently step up the pace of preparations and handle the complexities with strategic planning.

Uncertainty also revolves around India’s participation in the event due to the strained diplomatic relations between the two countries. If India opts out, Pakistan will need to ensure that other South Asian nations remain committed to participating.

“If India does not participate, we are confident that all other regional countries will still attend without any external pressure. Our relations with them remain strong,” a state source told Nukta.

The timing of the Games scheduled for January 23-31 also raises concerns, particularly regarding potential disruptions due to winter fog and rain, especially at Lahore. Adding to the challenge, the country’s sports authorities are under considerable pressure due to an already packed schedule.

Before the South Asian Games, Pakistan will send contingents to the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain (October) and the Islamic Games in Saudi Arabia (November).

In addition, the National Youth Games will be held in Islamabad in September, followed by the National Games in Karachi in December.

Managing all these events will be a formidable task. In February, a delegation from the South Asian Olympic Council (SAOC) visited Pakistan to review the SAG preparations. Once venues are finalized the SAOC’s venue committee will conduct proper inspection.